30 of the Queen’s Guilty Pleasures

1. Betting on the horses

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It was no secret that Queen Elizabeth II loved her horse racing. In fact, she pulled in millions each year from the sport, and was super involved in the breeding, raising and training of her beloved horses. So it’s no huge surprise that she would place a cheeky bet on the horse racing now at Ascot and then.

2. High tea with all the trimmings

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According to close sources of the Queen, she would her daily afternoon tea game seriously. Instead of just grabbing a quick brew like the rest of us, she would expect the traditional ‘high tea spread’, including sandwiches, scones, cakes, jams, preserves, and sometimes cookies and pastries. We like her style.

3. Four cocktails a day?

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Ok, so this one has been debated a lot, but a couple of sources claim that the Queen enjoyed a drink. Four a day in fact! It’s been said that she enjoyed a pre-lunch cocktail made of gin, Dubonnet, a twist of lemon, and lots of ice, as well as a glass of wine at lunch. She would then allegedly have a dry gin martini at lunch and a glass of champagne before bed.

4. Red meat

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The Queen was a very big fan of her red meat. Everything from lamb, roast beef and mutton to game meats like venison and grouse would be served up at her many palaces, but she was very particular about how she liked her meat cooked. Apparently she couldn’t stand rare meat, and would always ask for it well done.

5. Heinz ketchup

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The Queen was well known for having pretty simple tastes – especially when it came to food. Many have claimed that she was a big fan of Heinz ketchup, which happens to have a royal warrant (meaning it’s an official supplier to the royal household). Nobody’s sure if she put it on her well-done meat though!

6. Fast cars

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Queen Elizabeth II was often pictured driving herself around in style. Whether she was cruising back from church in a Jaguar or heading to the races in her Range Rover, she loved taking to the road as often as she could. She worked as a mechanic in World War II, but never actually took a driving test (you don’t need to if you’re a monarch).

7. Dark chocolate

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Lillibet was a big fan of chocolate – especially dark chocolate. Her former private chef Darren McGrady revealed that the darker and more decadent the chocolate, the better it was received by her Royal Majesty. And considering dark chocolate has a fair few health benefits, it’s not a bad guilty pleasure to have.

8. Downton Abbey

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Let’s face it – who doesn’t love Downton Abbey? The Queen was a big fan of the show, and would often watch it around her busy events schedule. And she particularly enjoyed pointing out the show’s mistakes! And it’s not just the Queen that loved it – Will and Kate do too. The Duchess of Cambridge even surprised the cast with a visit when they were filming in 2015.

9. Hunting

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 Like many members of the royal family, Queen Elizabeth was a fan of hunting, and considered it to be a fun pastime to enjoy with family and friends. It’s a controversial hobby to those outside of the English aristocracy, but this is something that’s been done for generations. The Queen never actually carried a gun with her though – that was left to the male members of the family.

10. EastEnders

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Another show that the Queen loved was the hit UK soap opera EastEnders. A true guilty pleasure, Queen Elizabeth would often get herself cosy and watch the soap in her private sitting room in Buckingham Palace – possibly with a glass of champagne! She also visited the show’s set back in 2001.

11. Charades

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 Apparently the Queen was a big fan of charades – as are the rest of the royal family. According to the British media, sources claim that she especially enjoyed playing the game at Christmas – and it’s something she took VERY seriously. One source said: “She may be a sore loser if she isn’t victorious.”

12. Shooting lunches

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One major part of the hunting experience is the hearty lunch that follows. And this was something the late Queen was very enthusiastic about. Her former private chef said that her shooting lunches always had to be hearty meals of meat, as well as warming stews and mashed potatoes. Beef bourguignon was a particular favorite.

13. The UK version of Dancing with the Stars

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One show that the Queen couldn’t get enough of was Strictly Come Dancing – the UK version of Dancing with the Stars. And Kate Middleton loves it too! The pair were said to share a bond over the show over the years, and the royal family would often vote for their favorite dancers on the show.

14. Scottish dancing

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The Queen adored Scotland. Her royal family home at Balmoral was where she was said to be happiest, so it’s no huge surprise that she enjoyed some traditional Scottish dancing too. She would throw an annual Scottish party that would feature tons of Scottish dancers, but wouldn’t get involved herself. However, that doesn’t mean that she wasn’t partial to a boogie…

15. ABBA

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A lot of us are big fans of ABBA, and Queen Elizabeth was no exception! She was especially fond of the hit Dancing Queen, and it was a song she always had to dance to – for obvious reasons. She reportedly said: “I always try to dance when this song comes on, because I am the Queen. I like to dance.”

16. Britain's Got Talent

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Let’s face it – when it comes to our TV habits, we all probably have a few guilty pleasures. And the Queen was no different to the rest of us. She was apparently a big fan of Simon Cowell’s show Britain’s Got Talent, and Prince Harry confirmed she was a viewer after he met 2017 winner Richard Jones.

17. Burgers (venison ones anyway)

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So the Queen was a big fan of a burger. But not a McDonald’s, Burger King, or anything us peasants might eat. Queen Elizabeth loved a much posher version of a burger; a freshly shot deer made into a venison patty, served without a bun. She also liked them stuffed with cranberry to cut through the gamey taste.

18. Chocolate perfection pie

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The Queen’s former private chef has let a lot slip about the monarch’s eating habits over the years. And there’s one particular dessert that she just couldn’t get enough of; chocolate perfection pie! It’s an indulgent mix of pastry, cream and chocolate cinnamon – a pudding literally fit for a Queen.

19. The X Factor

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It seems like the Queen was a fan of a few of Simon Cowell’s shows. She also apparently loved The X Factor, and she told an X Factor contestant that she never missed an episode. When meeting contestant Mary Byrne, the monarch apparently said: “You are the lady off the X Factor. Your song was fabulous.”

20. Roast chicken

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The royal family love a good roast chicken – just like the rest of the UK. The Queen’s former royal chefs cooked them on a regular basis for the family for ‘Sunday lunches’, which generally consist of roast meat, potatoes, vegetables and gravy. It’s a dish consumed on a Sunday afternoon or evening.

21. The Crown

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It’s reported that the Queen watched a lot of The Crown in the early seasons. While it started off as something of a guilty pleasure for the monarch, her feelings changed a lot for the show over the course of the series. Apparently she wasn’t very happy with some of the over embellishments in the stories of the royal family.

22. Sticky toffee pudding

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The late Queen had a bit of a sweet tooth – as do her family! Sticky toffee pudding is a firm favorite in the royal household, with both Will and Kate openly declaring their love for the dessert. Ex-royal chef Darren McGrady made it for the Queen on a regular basis, and it was often served after Sunday lunch.

23. Coronation Street

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It’s not just EastEnders that’s a hit with the royals. The Queen also watched another popular UK soap called Coronation Street, which happens to be one of Camilla’s favorite shows. While it wasn’t Elizabeth II’s top show in the world, it was definitely a guilty pleasure for her – so much so, that she visited the set of the show twice.

24. Gin

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It was no secret that the Lillibet loved a cheeky gin or two. Especially Gordon’s London Dry. She was often pictured with her favorite drink in tow, and she ended up working with the Royal Collection Trust to actually craft an official Buckingham Palace gin. The money goes towards painting the priceless collections of royal art housed across their palaces.

25. Bellamy's restaurant

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It was rare for Queen Elizabeth II to visit a restaurant, as she’d usually have a private chef to hand. However, there was one exception to the rule – Bellamy’s restaurant in London’s upmarket Mayfair area. She dined there on numerous occasions, and even went for her 80th

birthday celebrations. She’s also been spotted there with Princess Anne and Princess Alexandra.

26. Cake

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While chocolate was the Queen’s number one choice, her very close number two was cake. She had it every single day if she could, and would rarely travel without a sneaky few slices tucked away. Her all-time favorite was chocolate biscuit cake, which is a love shared by grandson William. His and Kate’s wedding cake featured a chocolate biscuit tier.

27. Cows

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The Queen loved animals, but one of her all-time guilty pleasures was going to see the cows at farmer’s markets. During her 90th

birthday celebrations, a clip went viral of the Queen looking absolutely delighted to see some cows being paraded around the stage for her, which is one of the internet’s favorite moments from her reign.

28. Wine

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While the Queen eventually gave up her daily alcohol habits, she was still partial to a wine or two on special occasions. There’s an extensive list of wines brought into the royal households, but her favorites were dry white wines, as well as the classic Dubbonet. It’s a sweet fortified wine with herbs and spices.

29. Launer handbags

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Queen Elizabeth II was known to be incredibly thrifty, but there was one accessory she loved to splurge out on; luxury Launer handbags. She had one for every occasion, but her favourite was the simple black patent bag that went with even the most colorful of outfits. Her love affair with Launer is said to have been sparked when the Queen Mother bought one for her decades ago.

30. Kellogg's Special K cereal

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Apparently the late monarch had one simple thing for breakfast each day; Kellogg’s Special K cereal. According to her ex-private chef, she loved having this humble meal, and would serve it herself from a plastic container. She’d also pair it with some Darjeeling tea and some fruit to keep her going until lunch time.