Former Royal Butler Says Queen Elizabeth Loved "Gossip"

Queen Elizabeth smiling in an orange coat and hat — (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Queen Mother was known for her love of a good drink—especially a gin and Dubonnet—and although her daughter, Queen Elizabeth, wasn’t quite as enthusiastic of a drinker, she did enjoy when dinner parties became a bit spirited. Former royal butler Julius Smith says that the late Queen enjoyed “gossip” and she had a sure-fire way of getting people to open up.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Smith said that Queen Elizabeth had a “mischevious way” to loosen lips. “She used to love to gossip,” he revealed, adding that the monarch would make sure that all of her guests’ wine glasses were full at all times. The outlet reported that the late Queen wouldn’t accept an un-topped glass, “even if they attempted to stop the pouring with their hands.”

“She would say to pour it in through their fingers!” Smith said.

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Queen Elizabeth drinking tea at a table — Queen Elizabeth enjoyed a good gossip session, according to Smith.

Queen Elizabeth toasting in a sapphire tiara — The late Queen raises a glass in 1996.

However, the former butler added that Queen Elizabeth’s lifestyle wasn’t as “boozy” as the Queen Mum, who reportedly drank up to 70 alcoholic drinks per week. “She certainly wouldn’t be drinking and things like that as part of the routine,” Smith said of the late Queen, stating that was “more the Queen Mother.”

As for King Charles, Smith said that the monarch prefers “Earl Grey or chamomile tea with honey already stirred in before it even reaches him.” He added, “You don’t need to waste his time offering things and asking questions because you already know what he likes.”

Like his late mother, The King is “not a big eater at all” and goes for modest meals, Smith shared. “She was very keen on white bread with jam and butter,” he said of the late Queen, referring to her favorite “jam penny” sandwiches.

As former royal chef Darren McGrady previously revealed, the sandwiches are “cut into circles the size of an old English penny,” and the late Queen enjoyed eating them her entire life—reportedly with a side of gossip.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.