Royal family drinking habits revealed by palace experts and insiders

For Princess Diana’s former butler, Buckingham Palace was a “gin palace,” where the drinks never stopped flowing.

Paul Burrell, who served at the royal residence for 11 years before moving to Kensington Palace, has written a new book, “The Royal Insider.In it, he said that gallons of gin are consumed every week, “some of it legally, some of it not.”

“I soon became aware of the ingenious ways in which family members smuggled alcohol for their evenings,” he wrote. The sun. “The senior staff would ask me to empty a screw-top bottle of tonic water every night and fill it with gin to use at parties in their rooms.”

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Paul Burrell (left) with Diana, Princess of Wales. September 10, 1997. He has written a new book called “The Royal Insider.” (Kent Gavin/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)

He added: “Walkers can be seen carrying Russell Hobbs electric kettles around the palace, not full of water but full of gin.”

Palace aides weren’t the only ones who liked their drinks behind closed doors, royal experts told Fox News Digital.

“It was an open secret that The Queen Mother (mother of Queen Elizabeth II) “She enjoyed a glass of wine, according to her biographer, William Shawcross,” Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. “She enjoyed nonstop social outings and is said to have had gin and Dubonnet at noon, red wine at lunch, a martini in the evening and pink champagne after dinner.”

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“Queen Elizabeth was known to be partial to gin and Dubonnet, which was her favorite cocktail,” he said. “Princess Margaret was particularly fond of Famous Grouse whisky. Princess Catherine has also been reported to enjoy an evening gin and tonic. Meghan Markle famously named her blog The Tig after Tignanello, her favorite wine.”

In 2021, a family friend said People magazine Prince William has been known to bring his wife, Kate Middleton, a classic gin and tonic after putting their three young children to bed.

“They take care of each other, but in different ways,” the friend said.

Kate Middleton is seen here sipping a non-alcoholic drink in 2012. Reportedly, after her three children go to bed, Prince William likes to make a classic gin and tonic for her to unwind. (Mark Large – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Sometimes, Kate craves something sweeter, British royal family expert Hilary Fordwich He told Fox News Digital.

“Princess Catherine always loved vodka, passion fruit and raspberry liqueur, which is much sweeter than most drinks,” Fordwich said. “She even finished it off with a little champagne. It was served at her wedding to Prince William.”

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King Charles is seen here participating in a whiskey tasting during his visit to the Royal Lochnagar Distillery in Scotland on October 16, 2018. The distillery is located next to Balmoral Castle. (Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)

“Charles is a man of healthy habits,” said Valentin Lu, author of “Power and palace” He told Fox News Digital. “He doesn’t eat lunch. He eats a very light breakfast. But the government minister, Michael Gove, once told me how he had gone on a trip on the royal train with the then Prince Charles. In the evening, he was called in for a drink with Charles, and was offered a very good single malt whiskey – a glass of Laphroaig.”

“They had a nice conversation about all kinds of things, including government policies,” Lu said. “And then, at the end of that nightly drink, he knew it was time to leave when he heard a subtle knock on the door.

Paul Burrell called Buckingham Palace the “Gin Palace” because palace aides secretly liked to indulge. Royal experts spoke to Fox News Digital about the senior members of the Windsor family and their drinking habits. (Paul Lebra/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“The next morning, he was invited to breakfast with Charles. But before he went, Charles’ private secretary suggested that he might like a ‘big boy’s breakfast’ beforehand. So, he joined the private secretary for eggs, bacon and toast. Then he went to see Charles, who served him his own breakfast – a small cup of healthy juice and a few nuts and seeds.”

According to author Valentine Law, King Charles enjoyed a “healthy smoothie” in the morning. (Toby Melville-Pole/Getty Images)

“He had two breakfasts that day,” Love added.

The 76-year-old queen is known to be a “light drinker” and sometimes prefers a martini “precisely prepared with equal parts gin and vermouth,” Fordwich told Fox News Digital.

When it comes to his mother, the late Queen, Fordwich said she preferred a Dubonnet and gin before lunch, wine with her meal and a dry martini in the evening. Sometimes she would indulge in champagne at night. The routine echoed the Queen Mother.

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Multiple reports revealed that Queen Elizabeth would sometimes indulge in a glass of champagne in the evening. She is seen here enjoying some champagne in Warsaw, Poland, circa 1996. (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

The reports said The Queen preferred Bollinger champagnewho had held a royal warrant since 1884. Her husband, Prince Philip, was a no-frills drinker.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, refreshes himself with a beer during a carriage driving event, circa 1980. (Serge Lemoine/Getty Images)

Royal expert Ian Pelham-Turner told Fox News Digital: “Prince Philip did not often drink alcohol at banquets, preferring a bottle of beer instead.”

Philip’s favorite drink was Boddingtons Bitter.

Members of the royal family can generally handle alcohol – with the exception of one senior member.

Kate Middleton looks on as Prince William enjoys a pint of beer during a visit to Empire Music Hall Belfast on February 27, 2019. (Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)

“Prince William, which is quite impressive in my opinion, has the nickname ‘One Pint Willie,’” Fordwich said. “It speaks to his low tolerance for alcohol, compared to the fairly strong drinking habits of the rest of the royal family.”

William was given the nickname by former rugby star Mike Tindall, who is married to the Prince’s cousin Zara. He revealed it in 2023 on Rob Burrow’s podcast.

“He’s not the best of drinkers,” Tindall said at the time.

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Prince William, Prince of Wales, makes a cocktail during his visit to the outdoor Trademarket on October 6, 2022, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Paul/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)

But in his younger days, William had more staminaFordich said.

“He enjoyed a suicide shot [during his clubbing days]“It combines vodka, lemon juice and three seconds,” she said.

Diana, Princess of Wales, at a Christie’s pre-auction party, circa 1997. The Princess was known to be a fan of white wine and peach bellinis at social events. (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

His late mother, Dianabroke from the mold and did not have a regular drinking ritual. She was said to enjoy white wine, particularly Chablis, and peach Bellini on social occasions.

Prince Harry sprays his friend Nacho Figueras with champagne that he drank from a glass at The Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic in New York, circa 2009. (Mark Cuthbert/British Press via Getty Images)

In 2019, Vanity gallery Royal correspondent Katie Nicholl reported that Prince Harry, who was once known for kicking vodka-Red Bull chasers into nightclubs, has adopted a healthier lifestyle thanks to his wife. Today, he is said to start his day with green juice.