The late Queen Elizabeth II had a habit of enjoying a glass of martini before meeting guests on royal flights and liked to follow the flight path map.
Queen Elizabeth II reading a newspaper on a flight back to the UK from Barbados in 1975. Photo: PA
Queen Elizabeth II’s flying habits have come to light through the memorabilia collection of Elizabeth Evans, a former British Airways flight attendant who worked with the airline for 28 years.
Evans served many high-profile clients throughout her career, which began in 1970. One of her most memorable trips was serving on a flight that took the late Queen and Prince Philip on a tour of Singapore and Malaysia in 1989.
Evans and her fellow attendants received very specific instructions on how to serve the royal couple, including liaising with the Queen’s makeup artist to ensure her bed was properly made. Queen Elizabeth II always traveled with her own pillow.
Queen Elizabeth II inspecting a new aircraft model in 1966. Photo: UK Press
Another note for flight attendants was to ensure a bowl of mint-flavored candies was placed next to the Queen’s seat and in her dressing room before the plane took off.
British Airways staff were also instructed not to wake the Queen if she was still asleep when the plane landed. They were to let her rest and avoid disturbing her.
Additional notes found in Evans’ memorabilia collection after her passing indicate that guests traveling with the Queen were informed of cocktail service times, and the Queen would inquire about the wine to be served at dinner. One note read, “The Queen typically likes to have a martini before guests arrive.”
It wasn’t until a year before her death in September 2022 that the Queen decided to stop drinking her favorite martini, aware that it wasn’t good for her joints. Royal sommelier Demetri Walters revealed in 2021, “It’s not good for her joints, and she couldn’t drink too much with the continuous royal engagements.”
Other mementos in Evans’ collection include items related to famous passengers such as Rod Stewart, Cliff Richard, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Patrick Swayze, Virginia Wade, and Billie Jean King.
This collection is set to be auctioned at Hanson Auctioneers from August 15 to 20, with starting bids beginning at $400.
