WINDSOR -- Do you eat your finger sandwiches with your fingers?
Is afternoon tea the same thing as high tea?
The answers are yes and no.
Meghan Markle鈥檚 鈥媘other Doria Ragland joined her future in-laws, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, for tea at their London residence, Clarence House, on Wednesday. And it鈥檚 believed Ragland would be meeting with the Queen for tea today, after the wedding rehearsal in Windsor.
As we know, the British famously believed everything can be fixed with a cup of tea. It鈥檚 been said they drink 165 million cups of tea a day.
While we don鈥檛 know how tea with Prince Charles and Camilla unfolded -- although the tabloids reported it was 鈥渏olly鈥� and they got on 鈥渆xtremely well鈥� -- it鈥檚 not difficult to imagine Markle鈥檚 American mother may have had a question or two about the quintessential British experience.
Somewhat coincidentally, I popped into the five-star hotel The Savoy in London today for a lesson in afternoon tea etiquette.
The Savoy, where they鈥檙e serving a special , has been a popular spot for Royals for years: not only did then-Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret enjoy dinner, dancing and cabaret at The Savoy in their younger years, but the public鈥檚 first inkling Elizabeth had a love interest came when she was photographed next to a tall blond Naval Officer at a wedding reception in the hotel鈥檚 River Room. That officer was Prince Philip of Greece.
Truth be told, I fancy myself a bit of a tea connoisseur. I collect china tea cups, attend afternoon tea every chance I get in Toronto and even hosted a tea party for my birthday a few years ago.
That said, the fancy digs at the Savoy had me second-guessing my tea-time know-how and wondering, when I picked up one of the finger sandwiches -- -- whether I should be using my gleaming silver fork and knife instead.
Fortunately, The Savoy鈥檚 Rebecca Howard was there to guide me through the process and
How to enjoy afternoon tea fit for a queen:
- Pour the cup of tea away from the table to avoid water drops falling on the tablecloth, Howard recommends
- Pour to about a centimetre below the top of the cup to leave room for milk if needed
- Make sure the water is hot and replenished regularly.
- Do not confuse high tea with afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is a social outing that bridges the gap between lunch and dinner, served mid-afternoon although there is often enough food to take the place of a meal. Meanwhile, high tea was traditionally more of a heartier meal for the working classes who needed sustenance after a long day; however, you would be accurate to remark that many hotels now offer a high tea, which will likely feature more savoury components.
- Eat finger sandwiches with -- you guessed it -- your fingers. Forks will usually be necessary for the delicate pastries.
- Don鈥檛 forget the strainer on the cup. There should be a small bowl it will fit neatly into, and will be within reach of your saucer.
- Let the tea steep as long as you鈥檇 like but ask if you鈥檙e uncertain.
- Whether you鈥檙e pouring the milk first or last is a point of controversy we won鈥檛 explore here but if you aren鈥檛 certain, you may consider asking your server what they recommend. Today, Howard recommended that I drink the 鈥淭ea for Heroes,鈥� an English Breakfast blend, lightly steeped and without milk or sugar. And she was absolutely right: even without the sugar, it had a sweet, honey component.
- It鈥檚 not scawn. Scone. With a long 鈥渙.鈥� Period.
And finally, when it comes to tea-time conversation, Howard suggested staying away from religion and politics. 鈥漇trictly talk about the teas, the food and the finer things in life,鈥� she said with a laugh.
Howard didn鈥檛 mean the advice to be directed at Prince Harry鈥檚 future mother-in-law, but it鈥檚 advice we could all use, I鈥檓 sure.
CTV News鈥� Senior Web Producer Mary Nersessian is among the news crew on the ground in Windsor and London, reporting on the royal wedding with behind-the-scenes updates on CTVNews.ca, and social media channels including , , and Snapchat. Watch for her Daily Dispatch from Windsor and follow the wall-to-wall digital coverage on CTVNews.ca/royals.
