I was invited to review The Queen’s Platinum Jubliee Afternoon Tea and our food and drink was complimentary. I was not paid to visit and was not under contractual obligation to write this blog post or create content on any platform.
Can you imagine being in the same job for 70 years? I’m in absolute awe of Her Majesty the Queen and her service to the country for all this time and I’m super excited to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee this year. To honour the celebrations Taj 51 Buckingham Gate are running a very special afternoon tea in their Kona Restaurant. Booking is available now and I was lucky enough to pop along and sample it recently long with my sister.
The hotel itself is a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace and so it is one of the Queens closest luxury hotels. I do wonder if she ever comes her incognito for a cheeky glass of champagne!
Kona restaurant is decked out with beautiful regal accessories, and the set up feeling perfect for enjoying a royal treat!
We’re served a glass of Bollinger, a champagne particularly selected as it holds a royal warrant and is rumoured to be the Queen’s favourite.
Similarly there are two teas served, known to be the Queen’s favourites – guests can choose Assam or Earl Grey… or any other tea that the hotel have available. It’s served from this beautiful teapot in the most gorgeous gold cups.
Making a Royal Entrance to the table is this treat resembling Cinderella’s carriage. It actually represents the then Princess Elizabeth’s wedding to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in 1947, she arrived in her carriage to Westminster Abbey to a delighted crowd of well-wishers. The pastry is made of chocolate and strawberry ice cream, representing what was actually served at the wedding!
Soon the afternoon tea platter is bought to the table and sticking with tradition, we start with the savouries. The sandwiches are themed around the Queen’s royal residences and estates and all the ingredients used are sourced from the UK.
The Sandringham Estate is where the family traditionally celebrate Christmas, so appropriately this sandwich is made up of smoked salmon and cucumber on rye bread with cream cheese and caviar.
The Windsor represents the Queen’s Official residence where she likes to spend the start of spring known as Easter Court. The Windsor sandwich includes egg (representing Easter) and mustard cress, egg mayo and quail eggs.
The Buckingham is made of Wiltshire ham and cheese, English mustard cream and tomato bread – a classic sandwich that uses Colman’s mustard, holder of the Royal Warrant.
Finally The Balmoral represents Her Majesty’s Scottish residence and her summers spent there – the sandwich includes tomato, venison, baked spinach tart and summer blooms. 
The scones are from Cornwall, presenting the Royal Family links to the county with Prince Charles running the Duchy of Cornwall Estate. You may have heard about the debate on spreading cream or jam first – well the Queen enjoys the Cornish way of jam first and then cream. Remember that next time you prepare your scone!
The jewel on the crown of the Afternoon tea is the pastries:
The Gardens of Britain is a rose and chocolate cake with floral garnishes representing flowers across the four territories of the United Kingdom. The pastry also represents the Queen’s great love of chocolate.
The Crown Jewels is based around a chocolate biscuit cake which is said to be the Queen’s favourite cake, this version features gold dusted Valrhona chocolate in the shape of an orb and sceptre used for her coronation in 1953. 
A Royal Collection is a an Earl Grey and orange mousse on sable Breton biscuit in the shape of a hat to represent her Majesty’s immaculate dress sense. She has a vast collection of hats for every occasion.
Pêche à la Reine Alexandra represents the well-known favourites that often appear in her royal banquets – peaches, apple tart and frangipane. The sweet is decorated with a replica of the Queen’s feather brooch that was given to her at her Diamond Jubilee.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubliee Afternoon Tea was a wonderful experience and I can’t wait to celebrate in Summer.
Booking is available now with sittings Wednesday – Friday midday and 2pm, and sittings on Saturday and Sunday at midday, 2pm and 4pm. From 1st April, it will be available seven days per week. The afternoon tea costs £70 and vegetarian and vegan versions of the tea will be available upon request.
