King Charles likes unusual ingredient in his coffee, says royal butler

A former royal butler has revealed the unusual ingredient King Charles liked to add to his coffee and tea as the monarch doesn't like to put processed sugar in his drinks. Speaking in an interview with coffee retailer Coffee Friend, King Charles’ former royal butler Grant Harrold has revealed that the King prefers to add a spoonful of honey to both his coffee and tea instead of sugar.

The butler has also opened up on the hot drinks other royals choose. According to the butler, Prince William and Prince Harry typically choose a flat white or a cappuccino when visiting a coffee shop. However, when enjoying coffee in the palace, Grant notes that they would never drink from a mug - instead, they always choose a demi cup or a teacup and saucer.

Grant said: “Queen Camilla is fond of a cup of coffee, as are William and Harry. I never heard any of them say they couldn’t live without coffee. But Camilla, William and Harry are the ones who love coffee the most within the Royal family. The late Queen famously liked her tea, and it was rare for her to ever drink coffee. The King also likes tea and honey.

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“I don’t think any of them would be ordering any speciality coffees - it would simply be a cup of coffee. They certainly didn’t have a fancy coffee machine in the palace when I was there. If you wanted a cup of coffee, it would be good and dependable instant coffee or brewed in a cafetiere before being put into a coffee pot. When you were in the palace, you would always offer tea and coffee to guests.

“I think it’s safe to say I never saw the King or Queen pop to Starbucks during my time as the King’s butler. I’m sure William, Meghan and Harry wouldn’t turn down a trip, though. I’m guessing they would opt for a flat white or a nice cappuccino.

“The late Queen, Prince Philip, and King Charles definitely prefer a cup of tea over coffee. They were tea lovers to the very end. They probably had coffee from time to time, but tea was their go-to. The only time I saw the Queen having a freshly brewed cup of coffee was after an event in the evening time.

“I wouldn’t say they wouldn’t have coffee in a mug - but they would probably have it in a demi cup instead of a mug after dinner. During the day, they would have a teacup with a saucer. They were always offered milk and sugar after the coffee was poured. That is the correct etiquette for drinking coffee. The King has famously said he prefers to have honey instead of sugar, so he would opt for that instead. It actually isn’t too bad.

“Whenever coffee or tea was offered, biscuits were always there if guests wanted one. Not so much if it was afternoon tea. It isn’t a typical biscuit, but the Queen’s favourite sweet treat to have with a cup of tea was chocolate biscuit cake. The King’s favourite biscuit is a Bath Oliver biscuit. I used to give him a packet for his birthday.

“Oat milk has become quite popular recently, and I wouldn’t rule out that King and Queen Camilla have tried it once or twice. The King is a huge supporter of dairy farms and is a patron of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, so he and the Queen are more likely to have your usual full-fat or semi-skimmed milk.”