The vital reason why the Queen must stop drinking - on doctors' orders
Like her mother before her, whose favourite drink was a gin and Dubonnet cocktail on the rocks, the Queen enjoys a pre-dinner drink. It's usually a martini, made from gin, extra-dry Vermouth and a twist of lemon.
At 95, however, Her Majesty, who enjoys exceptionally good health and is still a working monarch, has been told by royal doctors to forego alcohol, 'except on special occasions.'
“The Queen has been told to give up her evening drink which is usually a martini,” a family friend told Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl.
“It’s not really a big deal for her, she is not a big drinker but it seems a trifle unfair that at this stage in her life she’s having to give up one of very few pleasures.”
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The Queen is known to enjoy a glass of sweet German white wine at dinner, and in the past, would have a glass of champagne before bed, though as the sparkling drink is not known for it's digestion-aiding qualities, that tradition has probably ended.
Now, however, she will be left with tea, water or fruit juice. "The alcohol has gone, her doctors want to make sure she is as fit and healthy as possible,” another source said.
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The reasoning behind the change is her busy Autumn schedule, followed by next summer's Platinum Jubilee, a huge occasion with planning already well underway.
Her schedule is busier than ever in the run-up to Christmas, and with Harry and Meghan and Prince Andrew no longer able to take on royal engagements, the burden will fall on The Queen once again to represent the monarchy.
According to the latest plans, during the autumn she will be travelling frequently between Windsor, now her main home, and Buckingham Palace where she carries out royal duties such as investitures, alongside her usual schedule of engagements.
The Platinum Jubilee, celebrating 70 years of the Queen's record breaking reign, will run throughout 2022, with a central weekend bank holiday of Thurs 2 to Sunday 5 June.
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"The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on The Queen’s 70 years of service," reveals the official website.
There will be events including Trooping the Colour, a service of Thanksgiving, and a huge pageant with 5,000 performers on The Mall in London.
There will also be a live concert at Buckingham Palace, called the Platinum Party at the Palace. The Queen will be touring the UK to meet well-wishers, too.
It's an exhausting schedule for anyone, never mind a 96 year old, and those around the Monarch are keen for her to be in the best of health.
What she has made of this new ruling is of course, not on record - but if she decides she'd like a pre-dinner martini despite medical advice, it's not as if the doctors can stop her.
After all, she's the Queen- and at 95 she can jolly well drink whatever she likes.
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