Princess Diana Wasn't Big On Tea — Except This 2-Ingredient Blend

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

It doesn't get much more English than tea ... at least, traditionally. From her important work during the AIDS epidemic, to her 1985 dance with John Travolta at The White House, to the iconic "Revenge Dress," The People's Princess turned tradition on its head and changed the world forever. Perhaps aptly, Princess Diana generally preferred coffee over tea. But, one two-ingredient tea blend remained a fixture in her regular rotation: Rose pouchong, according to former royal chef Darren McGrady.

After working at the Savoy, the intrepid 20-year-old chef began his career amongst royals, spending 11 years in the kitchen at Buckingham Palace and Balmoral for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, before serving as Princess Diana's personal chef at Kensington Palace from 1993 to 1997. In an interview with Coffee Friend, McGrady shares, "Princess Diana's favourite was rose pouchong, the black tea with the rose petals, however, she was more of a coffee drinker." 

So, what made rose pouchong Princess Di's go-to? Unique and distinctive, pouchong tea leaves fall between green and oolong, regarding intensity and oxidation (8-20%). The blend comprises Chinese black tea dried with interspersed rose petals; the black leaves dotted with a few pops of deep magenta look visually fabulous inside the tin. This combination of black tea and aromatic rose petals yields a balanced and delicate dimensionality, not too robust. On the palate, rose pouchong tea arrives floral, mellow, elegant, subtly vegetal, and slightly sweet, sporting a golden-brown hue and a medium-bodied mouthfeel.

Apart from rose pouchong, Princess Diana generally drank coffee, which she took black and fairly utilitarian. As McGrady shares, "If she wanted a coffee, she preferred instant. She would come in the kitchen and make herself one and offer to make me one." Despite being instant, that royal Java had its own dedicated brewing space. "We actually had a coffee room at Buckingham Palace," McGrady tells the outlet. "At Sandringham [the country retreat for the British Royal Family], the kitchen was too small and I ended up making coffee to serve after pudding." 

Nowadays, both coffee and hot tea are on the menu at Cafe Diana, the historic Notting Hill eatery that pays homage to her life, so foodies can enjoy either of the Princess' favorite beverages. Even though pouchong tea originated in China's Fujian province, and is most popular in Taiwan, the blend is sold by myriad traditional English tea houses. Foodies could try this China Rose Petal Leaf tea by Taylor's of Harrogate, a longstanding English tea brand since 1886. Or, for a taste of royalty, opt for the rose pouching tea by Fortnum & Mason; the brand has served as a tea supplier to the British royal houses for over 300 years, even receiving multiple Royal Warrants of Appointment at the same time.