Nobody truly knows what goes on behind palace doors with royals such as King Charles, aside from those who are also on the inside.
Charles' diet has long been the subject of headlines, sparking curiosity around the world with 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.
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.
© Getty Images"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.
'Traditional' tastes
© Getty ImagesHowever, 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."
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 etiquette
© Getty ImagesGrant 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.
