The love of wine is ‘in my blood’ Queen says during impromptu speech

Known to favour red, the Queen was presented with a glass, a 2016 Vintners’ Company Pauillac, and an original copy of a book penned by her grandfather.

The Queen said her "love of wine" was instilled from childhood as she delivered an impromptu speech at Vintners' Hall, hailing the industry as "one of the best there is."

Camilla, a member of the Worshipful Company of Vintners, visited its Thames-side headquarters on Wednesday for a reception hosted by Master Vintner Richard Wilson.

Her last visit to Vintners’ Hall was in 2017, when she became a liveryman as the Duchess of Cornwall.

Her last visit to Vintners’ Hall was in 2017, when she became a liveryman as the Duchess of Cornwall

Known to favour red, the Queen was presented with a glass, a 2016 Vintners’ Company Pauillac, and an original copy of a book penned by her grandfather.

Dressed in a green velvet gown, she addressed the gathering: "That’s really, really kind, thank you very much. Can I just say what a pleasure it is to be back again? I can’t remember the last time I was here, but I did promise then I would be back again. Probably everybody knows my love of wine, it’s in my blood and I was brought up by a father whose passion was wine, without a doubt. We drank wine as children, we grew up like the French."

She recalled early Bordeaux trips with her father, learning "how to spit properly" during wine-tasting, and thanked attendees for contributing to "one of the best industries there is."

Reflecting on her late father, Major Bruce Shand, a wine merchant, Camilla viewed signatures from previous visits.

Her last visit to Vintners’ Hall was in 2017, when she became a liveryman as the Duchess of Cornwall

She was particularly interested in an original 1928 edition of A Book Of Wine, written by her paternal grandfather, Philip Morton Shand.

Upon learning it was a first edition, she exclaimed: "Oh, is it? How fascinating," adding her son, Tom Parker Bowles, "the (wine) expert," had "snuffled it away" from her home copy.

In the City’s oldest working room, dating back to 1672, the Queen met Swan Uppers, noting their distinctive ties. She expressed a desire to "definitely" return to witness a Swan Upping.

Her last visit to Vintners’ Hall was in 2017, when she became a liveryman as the Duchess of Cornwall

Her departure was marked by five cheers, a Vintners’ Company tradition commemorating a 1363 banquet attended by five kings, including Edward III.

The Vintners’ Company, one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, received its first Royal Charter in 1363 and is considered the spiritual home of the international wine trade.

While no longer regulating wine import and sale as it did for centuries, it maintains strong industry ties and undertakes significant charitable work.