Whether it’s the annual speech on Christmas Day or Trooping the Colour, the royals are nothing if not traditional. So this Easter Sunday, the family is expected to gather as usual for the annual church service at St George’s Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle, which has hosted several royal weddings, including those of Princess Eugenie in 2019 and Prince Harry in 2018.
The majority of senior royals typically attend, including King Charles and Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and Princesses Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Last year, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor made one of his last-ever public appearances with the family, where he was spotted talking to Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.
The former prince is expected to be absent this year, but those in attendance may head back for a traditional lamb lunch at the castle after the service, as they have done in years gone by, according to Tatler.
But that’s likely where their shared tastes end. King Charles is believed to have a penchant for the bold flavour of Scotch whiskey – perhaps an ode to his time spent in Scotland over the years.
According to thedrinksbusiness.com, his favourite is Laphroaig, a 15-year-old Scotch, which is described as “a pungent smoke-and-seaweed Islay dram”. It is the only single malt to have been awarded the Prince of Wales’ Royal Warrant in 1994.
The King may also be fond of a gin and tonic, since Buckingham Palace launched a gin for his Coronation, made with raspberries grown at Windsor Castle.
However, the late Queen Elizabeth preferred a sweeter option, having opted for wine over spirits, according to Darren McGrady, who worked for the Royal Family for more than 15 years.
He revealed that at celebrations, her Majesty would choose a glass of the sweet German white wine Gewürztraminer. The tipple offers “complex aromas, ranging from rose to apricot kernel and tropical fruits, together with pepper and sweet spices,” according to Decanter.
Queen Camilla may have a similar taste in drinks to her late mother-in-law, having spoken openly about her love for wine. She previously admitted: “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.”
Her son Tom Parker-Bowles backed this up, speaking to You Magazine, when he said the Queen Consort’s desert island meal would probably be washed down with “a really good glass of red claret”.