Queen Camilla, 78, is known to be a fan of red wine and has also been partial to a gin and Dubonnet, but we don’t think the royal will be adding whiskey to her drinks order any time soon. Earlier this week, on a trip to Northern Ireland, Camilla and her husband King Charles visited Titanic Distillers for an exclusive tour. During the look-around, they were both given a tipple to try – and it appeared to take Her Majesty by surprise.
The Queen lifted the glass to her nose to smell it, and her head involuntarily jolted backwards in a very slight but distinct movement. She then smirked to herself at the reaction, but wasn’t deterred and straight away went in for a sip. After tasting, she branded it: “Very strong,” as her husband turned to her to see what she thought of it.
Charles, however, is a big whiskey fan, and he even sells his own Scotch at Highgrove. So it appeared easier to swallow for Charles, who had a try and then enthusiastically nodded to one of the experts.
When the video clip did the rounds online, Camilla was praised for her “honest” reaction. “I love her natural reactions to things, she couldn’t care less what the press photographs or reports about her,” commented one user on Instagram. “I like her honesty,” another added.
It has been reported that the couple were given a bottle of five-year-old Pot Still to take home with them, as well as glasses, and a commemorative coin marking the first distilling after prohibition was lifted.
Damien Rafferty, head distiller, told reporters afterwards: “The one the Queen thought was quite stronger is actually the lesser of the two. She must have a more refined palate than me!”
© Getty ImagesQueen Camilla’s long-standing love of wine
The royal is the president of the UK’s Vineyard Association and has admitted that when it comes to drinking, she was raised like the French.
“People always ask me how I became involved in it all. Well, first of all, I love wine, but secondly, my father was in the wine business, so I was brought up as a child drinking wine and water rather like the French,” she said at a reception celebrating the association’s 50th anniversary.
Meghan Markle’s wine
Across the pond, Queen Camilla’s daughter-in-law, Duchess Meghan, is also a vino fan. It’s no secret that the Duchess of Sussex loves red wine – she even named her former lifestyle blog The Tig after Tignanello.
“At the end of a long day, there is nothing I enjoy more than a glass of wine. I used to be of the ‘it doesn’t matter, so long as it’s red’ persuasion, but then I grew up, and so did my palate,” she told Today in 2012.
© As EverPerhaps Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, has red wine plans in its sights, considering it already sells a rosé wine and a brut.
Reddit reviews of the rosé show that fans are impressed by the flavour. “Yeah it’s good. It’s fruity but not too sweet. Really enjoyed it and ordered another batch,” penned one, and: “Pleasantly surprised,” another review included.
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