By Matt Jackson
Tom Parker Bowles has hit back at a 鈥渕yth鈥 many people believe about his mother, Queen Camilla. Tom, 50, says many people often believe that the Queen likes to 鈥渒nock back a gin and tonic with a cigarette鈥.
But Tom says the opposite is closer to the truth, and that his mother 鈥渄oesn’t drink gin鈥. Instead, Tom says the Queen enjoys a glass of red wine, although admits she is a 鈥渟ensible鈥 drinker.
So much so that Tom told Kate Thornton on the White Wine Question Time podcast that he has 鈥渘ever seen her tipsy鈥. He explained the Queen hasn鈥檛 even been a smoker for over two decades now.
It came as Tom revealed 鈥90 per cent鈥 of the dishes in his latest cookbook wouldn鈥檛 be served to the Queen, because she doesn鈥檛 do spice or garlic. Instead, Tom says the Queen enjoys 鈥渜uite plain鈥 food.
He said: 鈥淚f I did cook for her, it would probably be something like a piece of fish, she doesn’t really eat a lot of meat. And contrary to popular sort of stereotype, I’ve never in my whole life seen her even tipsy.鈥
When quizzed by Kate, Tom added: 鈥淣ever. She doesn’t drink gin, which is this whole thing, and she gave up fags 20 years ago. 30 years ago maybe.鈥
Podcast host Kate explained there was a 鈥渕yth鈥 about Tom鈥檚 mother. She said: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e right, that kind of myth persists, doesn’t it? That she likes to knock back a G and T with a cigarette?鈥
Tom responded: 鈥淓xactly. And, you know, and that was the case for a long time. But no, not gin鈥 she likes red wine but is a very moderate and sensible drinker you know, I mean literally a glass and a half. But back to cooking for her.
鈥淵eah, it would be fish. Or maybe, you know, she does very good scrambled eggs.鈥
The Queen has previously been open about her fondness of a glass of wine, believing it goes back to her younger days. The Queen, who is rather appropriately President of the United Kingdom Vineyards Association, said: “My father was in the wine business so as children we used to take wine and water and I have drunk it ever since.
“He always said it was his medicine and it kept him going. He used to take two or three glasses a day.”
While Tom says the Queen isn鈥檛 a big gin drinker, it was recently revealed that King Charles has a gin martini every day. Royal commentator Gordon Rayner said it is mixed with half gin and half dry vermouth, garnished with an olive or lemon twist.
The King is said to be so dedicated to his dinnertime martini that he packs the ingredients whenever he travels. Writing in the Telegraph, the expert said: 鈥淲hen he travels abroad he takes his own spirits with him to be mixed by his staff to his precise taste, while the Queen takes her own supply of red wine, usually from the Pomerol appellation of Bordeaux.
“The King may sip a glass of wine during dinner but his martini is effectively his only drink of the day.”