At 92 years old, Queen Elizabeth is fighting fit. Considering most people retire in their sixties, whereas the monarch has spent a casual 67 years on the throne, we can only assume that she's got some kind of incredible secret to a long and healthy life.
And reading between the lines, I think I may have worked out exactly what that secret is: a glass of Champagne every day. Now that is a routine I could happily get myself on board with (if the funds allowed).
According to the Queen's cousin, Margaret Rhodes, Her Majesty is accustomed to having a glass of Champagne with every evening meal. While we don't know her exact brand of choice, there are eight varieties of champers that have been given Royal Warrants. These include Bollinger, Lanson, Moet & Chandon, Veuve Cliquot, Laurent Perrier, Krug, all of which were awarded the accolade after having been regular suppliers to the Royal Household for several years.
Containing fewer calories than wine, and having been discovered in one scientific study to aid memory (unless you drink too much, of course), we can see why Champagne is the Queen's tipple of choice even into her nineties.
But Champagne isn't the only alcohol the monarch sips daily. According to her former chef Darren McGrady, Her Majesty enjoys a gin and Dubonnet (a sweet wine based aperitif) with a slice of lemon and a 'lot of ice' shortly before lunch. During lunch itself, Queen Elizabeth is also known to sip on a glass of wine or a dry gin martini, which is a stellar effort if she does it every day - or if she opts for both.
Sure, the NHS might insist that drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week puts you at risk of ill-health, but if it's worked for the Queen...
Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs. news, features and health. The route to her heart is a simple combination of pasta and cheese (somewhat ironic considering the whole health writing thing), and she finds it difficult to commit to TV series so currently has about 14 different ones on the go.
