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Privacy Notice There are very few of us who can claim to having a personal, and unexpected, run-in with members of the Royal Family – least of all with the late Queen Elizabeth II. But someone who can is a builder who was left distinctly unimpressed and not at all in awe of the historic surroundings he found himself in while working for the late Queen at Buckingham Palace. The hilariously embarrassing story surfaced during a Channel 5 documentary when the monarch went entirely unnoticed by a tradesman at the palace who was offered a cup of tea by none other than the Queen herself.
The builder had no idea he was speaking to the late Queen
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Royal Upholsterer Kevin Andrews, who worked for the Queen Mother, remembered the story vividly in a documentary titled Secrets of the Royal Palaces. He said: “[A] builder was dismantling a desk […] so he could not see who was making the offer when the lady’s voice asked him if he would like a cup of tea.” As the builder had no idea it was none other than Queen Elizabeth asking the question, he reportedly replied: “Yeah. In a mug. Two sugars. Builders’ tea. 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.”
The story about the late Queen’s run-in was revealed in a documentary
Kevin recalled that the Queen came back with the tea and told the builder that it was on the table before saying he “looked up [he] saw the Queen leaving the room”. The monarch’s former butler Grant Harrold has spoken out several times about his time working for the Royal Family. He often addresses British etiquette and shared an insight into the Queen’s personal habits – including exactly how she takes her tea. Speaking about the Queen’s preferred brands before her death, Grant revealed: “I am sure the Queen enjoys her Assam or her Earl Grey the traditional way, made with tea leaves in a teapot and poured into a fine bone china teacup. She will also use a strainer. It is also a myth that members of royalty use their pinky when drinking, I have never seen that happen once.”
The late monarch kept up with one key afternoon tradition, according to former royal chefs
When it came to the late monarch’s other preferences at afternoon tea, former royal chef Darren McGrady opened up about what would be on the menu. Darren said in an interview: “When I started as a young chef at Buckingham Palace, it was fascinating to see how important afternoon tea was to the Queen.” He revealed that the Queen enjoyed a “full afternoon tea of sandwiches and pastries”. He said: “In terms of scones – one day plain and one day with raisins folded through. Also, tiny pastries like raspberry tartlets and a cut cake, honey and cream sponge, fruit cake, banana bread, or her favourite chocolate biscuit cake. It would all be ‘washed down with a delightful steaming hot cup of Earl Grey tea.”Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnQueen Elizabeth IIBuckingham PalaceRoyal Family
