Prue Leith has revealed the mistakes she once made that left her blushing while serving tea to the late Queen.
The Great British Bake Off star, 84, shared the embarrassing mistakes in a video uploaded by the Channel 4 show’s official Instagram page, @britishbakeoff, on October 15.
In it shortenPrue explained how her plan to take the initiative backfired, as it resulted in a cup of tea that wasn’t exactly to the former monarch’s taste.
While Prue was working as a caterer in a building that Queen Elizabeth II opened “years ago,” she was hired to make a cup of tea for Her Late Majesty.
The baker said: ‘I I called the Palace because I thought, “If I know if he likes tea, I can make a good one.”
Prue Leith has revealed the mistakes she once made that left her blushing while serving tea to the late Queen.
Prue explained how her plan to take the initiative backfired, as it resulted in a cup of tea that wasn’t exactly to the former monarch’s taste (file image).
However, he revealed: ‘The squire did not want to tell me. You would think it was a state secret. He wouldn’t tell me how the queen drank her tea.
Prue explained that the squire only informed her how to serve the drink and directed her to a “silver tea tray” on which it would be placed, along with a teapot, hot water, and lemon slices.
The squire also advised Prue to ask the Queen “how she would like” her tea, to which the late monarch would respond with her preference.
On the day of the grand opening, Prue commented: ‘Well, I had to get up. There was a long line of dignitaries she walked down, shaking everyone’s hand, and when she got to the end, I was standing there with my tray.
The poor woman must have been longing for a cup of tea. She had just toured this building for two hours.
Once the late Queen approached Prue, the Bake Off judge asked: ‘Black or white, ma’am?’ to which the Queen replied: ‘Black, please.’
Prue proceeded to take a cocktail stick and prick a lemon wedge, before placing it in the cup and pouring hot water over it. However, to the star’s horror, the late Queen said: “No lemon, thank you.”
The baker said, “I called the Palace because I thought, ‘If I know how you like your tea, I can make a good one.'”
Panicking, Prue explained: ‘I didn’t have a second cup. So I was thinking, “What do I do with that?”
“So I put it on the tray cloth and of course the lemon, which was already soaked in tea, spread this big brown stain all over the tray cloth.”
He then “filled the cup” with hot water, as he assumed that people who prefer black tea usually drink it weak.
However, when Prue had just filled the teacup with hot water, the late Queen joked: “I like it strong.”
Prue added: “He got weak tea with lemon, when what he wanted was strong black tea. I felt bad since then, but there it was.
Viewers on Instagram were left in hysterics, while others took to the comments to share who they thought was really to blame for the mistake.
Instagram viewers were left in hysterics, while others took to the comments to share who they thought was really to blame for the mistake.
One person wrote: “I blame the squire,” while another said: “That was a bad situation and his squire should have been able to tell him.” In fact, that should be the information that should be given to anyone serving food to royalty.
A third commented: “I wonder if the Queen told the same story with a mischievous smile.”
A fourth said: ‘The lesson is to listen when you’re told ‘ask him how he takes it’ and not just say ‘black or white?’ And then assume the rest!”