A former British Airways flight attendant has shared intriguing details about what Queen Elizabeth prefered while traveling on royal flights. The revelations, part of a memorabilia collection from Elizabeth Evans—a flight attendant with 28 years of service—shed light on the late monarch’s flying habits.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, Evans, who worked for British Airways from 1970, recalls that Queen Elizabeth enjoyed a martini before meeting guests and had a specific request for mint candies during take-off. The Queen’s flying experiences, particularly during her 1989 tour of Singapore and Malaysia with Prince Philip, were marked by meticulous attention to detail.
Flight attendants were instructed to coordinate closely with Her Majesty’s dresser to ensure her bed was perfectly arranged, often bringing her own pillows. Before take-off, a bowl of Velamints was placed beside her, and she had preferences for the wine served with her meals. A notable detail revealed was that the Queen favored a martini before her guests arrived, although she ceased drinking it a year before her death due to its impact on her joints.
Royal sommelier Demetri Walters highlighted in 2021 that, while the Queen enjoyed a gin and Dubonnet before lunch, a glass of sweet German wine with dinner, and a dry martini before bed, her role required moderation in alcohol consumption.
Evans’ collection also includes memorabilia from encounters with celebrities such as Rod Stewart, Cliff Richard, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The collection, set to be auctioned by Hansons Auctioneers from August 15-20, is expected to fetch between £400-£600. Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, noted, “Elizabeth’s archive takes us back to a time when flying on Concorde was a symbol of luxury, with detailed instructions on how to cater to royalty.”
Hanson further elaborated that the collection reveals intimate aspects of the Queen’s travel preferences, including her taste for Velamints and her custom of having a martini before her guests arrived. The meticulous care extended to ensuring Her Majesty was undisturbed in her bed if she was asleep before landing, reflecting the first-class service provided to the royal family.