Home ahoho ☕ KING CHARLES HAS BEEN SWEETENING HIS COFFEE THE SAME UNUSUAL WAY FOR YEARS — BUT CAMILLA’S CUP COULDN’T BE MORE DIFFERENT. After seven years working inside Highgrove, former royal butler Grant Harrold picked up on one tiny habit that rarely gets seen beyond palace doors. Charles may drink three or four cups of tea a day, but when he switches to coffee, ordinary sugar and sweeteners are apparently off the table. Instead, the King has long asked for one surprisingly simple ingredient in his cup. Camilla, meanwhile, followed an even stricter habit — Harrold says he never once saw her add sugar to either tea or coffee. And Charles’ substitute is probably not what most people would reach for first.

☕ KING CHARLES HAS BEEN SWEETENING HIS COFFEE THE SAME UNUSUAL WAY FOR YEARS — BUT CAMILLA’S CUP COULDN’T BE MORE DIFFERENT. After seven years working inside Highgrove, former royal butler Grant Harrold picked up on one tiny habit that rarely gets seen beyond palace doors. Charles may drink three or four cups of tea a day, but when he switches to coffee, ordinary sugar and sweeteners are apparently off the table. Instead, the King has long asked for one surprisingly simple ingredient in his cup. Camilla, meanwhile, followed an even stricter habit — Harrold says he never once saw her add sugar to either tea or coffee. And Charles’ substitute is probably not what most people would reach for first.

ahoho · 17/09/2026 · comments off

King Charles’ unconventional drink that Queen Camilla ‘never’ touches

Former royal butler Grant Harrold, who worked for the monarch for seven years has revealed all about a particular drink that King Charles enjoys

Queen Camilla holding a drink and King Charles looking at her© Getty
Those who work behind palace doors have all the intel on royals such as King Charles. With one topic always sparking fascination, what do the royals actually drink?

Charles’ diet has long piqued the interest of royal fans. Over the years, we have had tidbits of information such as his penchant for skipping lunch. Former royal butler Grant Harrold, who worked at Highgrove House for seven years between 2004 and 2011, has shed light on one of the monarch’s quirks.

What is Charles’ drink of choice?

prince charles drinks tea© Getty Images
A former royal butler shed light on how King Charles takes his tea

Tea is a quintessentially British refreshment that is a staple in the royal household, with Grant revealing up to six servings of tea and coffee are offered to the royals throughout the day. In King Charles’ case, he takes almost every opportunity to have a warming cup, with an “alternative” choice that his wife Queen Camilla “never indulges in.”

“Charles likes to drink coffee, but he is also a tea lover. He’ll probably have around three to four cups a day, but it’s offered regularly in case he wants more,” Grant explained during an interview with Coffee Friend.

“Sugar is, again, a personal choice. I know King Charles stays away from sugar or sweeteners when he’s having a coffee as he opts for a spoon of honey. It’s a great alternative and he’s had it for years.

“We used to offer all members of the Royal family the choice to have sugar or sweeteners – but I must say, I have never seen the Queen or anyone indulge in sugar when having their coffee or tea,” he added.

So, which tea is on offer?

king charles chatting to veteran at tea party© Getty Images
The monarch reportedly drinks four cups of tea every day

However, all royals tend to agree on the type of tea being served, favouring “traditional” tea leaves over bags and opting for strong but not “stewed.”

The former royal butler shared: “It will take a couple of minutes for a cup of tea, but if they’re making coffee in a cafetière, it will probably be four or five minutes for the best flavour.”

king charles tea
Charles’ wife Queen Camilla reportedly doesn’t have the same taste

He added: “If you’re at the Royal home, there will also be a Chinese or Indian tea on offer. Normally, an Earl Grey or Assam will be within the selection. Tea bags are used from time to time, but Royals will definitely prefer tea leaves to a bag. It’s more traditional.”

The Princess of Wales reinforced her sugar-free preferences during a visit to the Ark Open Farm, with a member of the Kilcooley Women’s Centre revealing on X, formerly Twitter: “Just like us little bit of milk…. so down to earth we were enchanted.”

Learning royal etiquette

kate middleton drinking tea© Getty Images
Grant Harrold didn’t seem to think the Princess of Wales had been given ‘official’ lessons in royal etiquette

Grant previously explained that those who marry into the royal family, such as Kate, learn to pick up etiquette “from within” as opposed to getting lessons before meeting the royals.

“I believe that Prince William and Harry learned royal etiquette from their parents, and their wives learned from them, it’s very much an internal thing,” he previously said.

However, it was reported that the Duchess of Sussex once booked a two-hour lesson in etiquette with Edmund Fry, a Londoner who runs the Rose Tree Cottage tea room in Pasadena, under a friend’s name before meeting Queen Elizabeth II.

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