Princess Diana preferred black coffee, but this fragrant tea was her favourite royal brew

Princess Diana may have been surrounded by Britain’s long-standing tea culture, but her choice of brew was far from the usual royal favourites. While Diana was more of a coffee drinker, Rose Pouchong was the tea that stood out as her favourite, according to former royal chef Darren McGrady.

McGrady, who worked in the royal kitchens for 11 years before becoming Diana’s personal chef at Kensington Palace from 1993 to 1997, revealed that the princess preferred the delicate blend of black tea and rose petals.

“Princess Diana's favourite was rose pouchong, the black tea with the rose petals, however, she was more of a coffee drinker,” McGrady said in an interview with Coffee Friend.

What is Rose Pouchong?

Rose Pouchong is a fragrant tea made using tea leaves and dried rose petals. The tea leaves come from the Camellia sinensis plant, the same plant used to make white, green and black tea. The difference between these teas comes mainly from how the leaves are processed after they are harvested.

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For black tea, the leaves are fully oxidised before being dried. In Rose Pouchong, fragrant rose petals are dried alongside the tea leaves, allowing the leaves to absorb their floral aroma and flavour.

The resulting tea has a delicate floral character, with a mellow and slightly sweet taste. It has a golden-brown colour and a medium-bodied mouthfeel. Rose Pouchong is generally best enjoyed without cream or sugar.

The tea is also known as a blend with Chinese origins. Pouchong tea originated in China’s Fujian province and is particularly popular in Taiwan, although it is also sold by traditional English tea houses.

Diana was actually more of a coffee drinker

Despite having a favourite tea, Diana generally preferred coffee. Unlike elaborate royal traditions, her choice was simple: she drank it black and preferred instant coffee.

“If she wanted a coffee, she preferred instant. She would come in the kitchen and make herself one and offer to make me one,” McGrady told Coffee Friend.

He also recalled the royal kitchen’s dedicated coffee setup.

“We actually had a coffee room at Buckingham Palace,” McGrady said. “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.”

Diana’s preference for Rose Pouchong also fit with her simple approach to hot drinks. She did not typically add cream, sugar or other flavourings to her beverages.

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