Queen Elizabeth once served a tradie working at Buckingham Palace with a mug of tea, according to a royal insider.
Kevin Andrews, the royal upholsterer to the late Queen Mother, recalls the story of the time a builder pal was stunned when he found out he’d been served his brew by Her Majesty herself, in a forthcoming TV programme, Secrets of the Royal Palaces.
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The builder said he was dismantling a desk inside Buckingham Palace so he could not see who was making the offer when a well-spoken woman asked him if he would like a cup of tea.
“Yeah. In a mug. Two sugars. Builders’ tea,” he replied.
“I don’t want any of that nonsense I had the last time I was here, all that fine china and all that saucer stuff.”
When the the woman returned and said: “I’ve put your tea on the table here.”
He looked up and couldn’t believe it when he saw the Queen leaving the room after having made him a cuppa.
The documentary also reveals that Buck House once had its own bar – but it was shut down after staff got too drunk.
Dickie Arbiter, who worked as a royal press secretary for a number of years, said in the documentary: “They had to get rid.”
The queen is known to enjoy a drink with dinner, with chef Darren McGrady revealing her favourite tipple is a a gin and Dubbonet.
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