 Only wine and champagne will be served at Buckingham Palace after the couple take their wedding vows next Friday as beer has been deemed unsuitable for such a prestigious occasion. The couple will treat their 650 guests to flutes of champagne and glasses of wine to accompany their canapés and snacks as they mingle in the 19 state rooms of the Palace.
‘Let’s face it, it isn’t really an appropriate drink to be serving in the Queen’s presence at such an occasion’, said a source that confirmed on Saturday that there won’t be any beer.
“And while the younger royals enjoy a pint from time to time, neither Kate nor William is a big beer drinker so they decided to leave it off the menu.”
Wine is considered a sophisticated drink with food in UK (like in most wine consuming countries-editor) “It was always their intention to give their guests a sophisticated experience and they have chosen the food and drink with this in mind,” adds the source, according to a report by royalwedding2011news.com.
Neither the 28 year old bridegroom Prince William nor his bride Kate will be drinking alcohol because they want to remain sober to savour the special occasion. Friends of Kate have previously revealed she has never been a big drinker, preferring to remain in control and sip just one glass of wine.
A friend from the one- year gap period the future queen spent in Florence in 2001, said: “She would like a glass of wine but couldn’t really handle her drink. She’d get giggly and silly after a few glasses, so then she would stop. She was never interested in getting really drunk. She never ever let herself get out of control.” Kate has been occasionally pictured coming out of London exclusive, private - members London clubs Boujis and Mahiki but has always maintained her composure.
While it is still not known which wine would be served at the reception, Decanter confirms that the Champagne would be the British favourite and otherwise quite affordable Pol Rogers NV (imported by Sonarys in India)–it has already been ordered by the palace authorities according to the online magazine. Popularized by Winston Churchill after whose name a special cuvee was introduced in 1984, it has not been served at the royal weddings before. At Prince Charles' wedding to the late Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, Krug 1969 Champagne was served along with Chateau Latour 1959 as well as a Taylor’s Port 1955.
The decision to ban beer will also be a let-down to the beer companies who have tried to cash in on the royal wedding by launching products designed around the event. Castle Rock brewery in Nottingham, for instance, has recently sold 70,000 bottles of its ‘Kiss Me Kate’ beer to the supermarket chain Morrisons.
One hopes the news would encourage India’s most eligible bachelor Rahul Gandhi to serve only wine- Italian, Indian or even Champagne, when he gets married, if he chooses to serve alcohol. It could be a much needed boost to the wine culture in India. |