The Queen's 'Cocktail Of Choice,' According To Tom Hanks

Most of us have heard the expression, "They dined like kings." But, what does it mean to drink like a queen? If your instincts are telling you there must be tea involved, you're not wrong. Queen Elizabeth — the 96-year-old head of the royal family for Britain and the Commonwealth, and the recent Platinum Jubilee Honoree — takes her tea the traditional way, according to Hello magazine. A fine china mug, a piping hot Assam or Earl Grey through a strainer, and a spot of milk to finish the job. And that whole "pinkies up" thing? Nope, says the queen's butler, Grant Harrold (per Hello): "It is ... a myth that members of royalty use their pinky when drinking, I have never seen that happen once."

But, here's another question about the queen's drinking habits that may be more uncouth than a non-pinkied sip of tea: What does the queen drink when she's looking for something with a bit more kick? Town & Country says the royals are no strangers to the hard stuff; champagne is a common favorite among the decidedly un-commoners (the queen has been rumored to have a nightly glass before bedtime), and Buckingham Palace even produces its own dry gin, made with herbs from the royal gardens. Well you know what they say: In a world of fake news and click-bait media, there is only one source you can really trust these days to shed the truth — and for us, that's Tom Hanks.

In an interview with BBC One, actor Tom Hanks explained that he was once seated next to Her Majesty at an event, in which he made every attempt at small talk that was "of import, but not presumptuous." Bless him. Interrupting what couldn't have been an entirely scintillating discussion about "how often she truly has time off and what have you," per Hanks, a white-gloved hand materialized between the award-winning actor and the long-reigning monarch, that deposited a glass of clear liquid on the table.

"And so I dared to ask the queen, 'What is Your Majesty's cocktail of choice?'" Hanks explained. "'Ooh! Martini!'" the queen gleefully replied to Hanks in his retelling of the momentous event. And though he claims that Her Majesty "nursed" the drink throughout the evening, even Hanks had to admit that he was beginning to wonder if a martini a day might keep the doctor away. "She's had a wonderful reign ... Maybe if I want to polish up my game a little bit..." Hanks joked. Sadly, Vanity Fair reported in October 2021 that, in preparation for the very celebration that is intended to mark the aforementioned "wonderful reign," the queen's doctor suggested she might forgo her daily martini, in order to stay healthy for her big celebration. Which must have Hanks wondering who to believe — a doctor, or a 96-year-old woman who has run the British Commonwealth for seven decades?