The Queen I’m referring to here is of course, my superstar friend, Harriet Thorpe who you’ll recognise from Ab Fab and other epic TV shows and West End shows, so how fitting that we were invited to enjoy the new Queen Victoria Afternoon Tea at the Royal Garden Hotel, adjacent to sprawling Kensington Palace where Queen Victoria once lived.
Never one to miss a banquet, Prince Alexander (!) who was off school for the summer, insisted that he join us, too! He was both our our Food Taster and Jester rolled into one-that kid sure knows how to crack a joke. Just look how much he adored his non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice, in a champagne flute no less. Bless. He even enquired when he might feel drunk, ‘just like Mummy’ (thanks son)!
…The prettiest of afternoon teas tells the story of Queen Victoria’s adventurous appetite, and it was a culinary history lesson in itself as we learned of Victoria’s lifelong love for whisky, her unusual Sunday lunches, and even her most favourite pies.
Here comes the history lesson:
In 1840 during the Queen Victoria’s reign, the Duchess of Bedford, Anna Russell looked for a way to overcome, ‘that sinking feeling’ between breakfast and dinner as people of that time usually only had two meals a day.
The solution was a small pot of tea and light snack taken privately in her boudoir. This soon became a habit and she started to invite friends to join her. The menu also centred around small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, assorted sweets and of course, tea. Before long, all of fashionable society had caught on and nearly 200 years later, here we are!
Made only with the freshest and finest ingredients, our Queen Victoria Afternoon Tea featured assorted sandwiches and savoury pastries, raisin and cinnamon scones, a selection of sliced fruit and fine loose leaf tea as well as champagne too (cheers), making for the most decadent and delicious of afternoon feasts.
Newly vegetarian Alexander opted for the veggie child’s version (which was generous enough for two children), and mine was veggie too having recently veered from veganism to vegetarianism. Harriet enjoyed the meat and fish-based Afternoon Tea.
I love the pomp and ceremony of Afternoon Tea, of smelling the fragrant teas patiently waiting for consumption in jars (we both opted for English Breakfast but enjoyed sniffing them all), and were wowed by the delicate, perfectly formed and utterly decadent small bites we devoured with each course.
Harriet is the BEST, BEST, BEST company: she makes me roar with laughter unsurprisingly, and gives the greatest advice (remember this post?). She’s also been a tremendous friend to me since we first met several years ago, supporting me through some of the hardest times of my life. She’s also never missed a milestone moment in my career, or a birthday yet. Utterly beautiful, bold, smart, and brave as they come, I feel lucky to have Harriet in my life.
I also felt lucky to have had this Afternoon Tea in my life. We all did.
With beef or mushroom consumme/ tea followed by muffins, egg vol-au-vents, pineapple, strawberry and orange slices, bread and butter pudding, cranberry tart, chocolate cake made with ganache and butter cream, orange jelly and light and refreshing champagne, it was a feast to behold.
The menu is even printed on the exact same paper Queen Victoria would write her letters on.
A statement afternoon tea if ever there was one, and in the regal Park Terrace Restaurant, book now and enjoy feeling like royalty for a few hours. You deserve it!
This was a complimentary afternoon tea for all in return for this honest review. I have a long-standing relationship with the Royal Garden Hotel.
EXCITING:
If you book your own Queen Victoria Afternoon Tea between Monday and Friday, you will receive a complementary cocktail or glass of Champagne when you quote ‘Honest Mum’ or ‘MumBoss’. This ends October 30th 2019.
You can enter below to win a Queen Victoria Afternoon Tea of your own for 2 people worth £96.
T&Cs
Prize consists of the Queen Victoria Afternoon Tea for 2, with complimentary upgrade to a glass of Champagne each or the signature ‘Queen Victoria Tipple’ each. Please make the booking at least 24 hours in advance, giving any dietary requirements.
Please note Vegetarian themed tea is available however all vegan options will not been themed. Prize is non-transferable, there is no cash alternative. No travel arrangements covered.
Ends at midnight August 30th 2019.
If you do not respond to the notification email within 7 days, a new winner will be randomly selected.
Good luck!
Promoted on Prize finder, Loquax, Super Lucky , UK Wins and Competition Database.
Buy my bestselling book in paperback or audio
My debut book is my guide to surviving and thriving at work and at home and offers insight into how to create a digital business or return to work with confidence.
Mumboss: The Honest Mum's Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
(UK 2nd Edition)
Available on Amazon or Audible
The Working Mom: Your Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
(US/Canada Edition)
Available September 8th 2020. Order now on Amazon
I have always wanted to go for a posh afternoon tea and would love to go with my husband for our 40th anniversary
A fab prize in time for my 40th birthday!
I would love to take my Mum to celebrate my 40th Birthday 🙂
LOVE TO WIN TO TAKE MY PARTNER TO CELEBRATE OUR 15TH ANNIVERSARY
It would be an amazing treat for my mums birthday.
I would love to take my cousin Sonia as she is a carer for her grandmother and has been for many years. The last few years have been especially difficult for her and i think this would be a lovely treat for her!
I would love to take my sister to celebrate her 40th birthday. This would be a fantastic treat!
I’d take my mum as its her 80th birthday next year
I would love to take my bestie Nikki, she’s always there for me and is an incredible friend! We’re both mums and the summer holidays have been pretty chaotic so would love to treat her for a lush afternoon tea for a big catch up and time to ourselves! We both adore afternoon teat too, so would seriously enjoy this prize!
I would take my daughter so we can have some proper girlie time!
i would take my mum, as i recently moved away and i don’t see her much now.
I’d take my wife as it’s our 25th wedding anniversary
I would love to take my best friend – what an experience this would be. Lovely
I’d love to treat my best friend Emma who lives in London
I would love to win to treat my Husband for his upcoming birthday.
I would love to take my Mum who has finished radiotherapy treatment. She is amazing and deserves a wonderful treat like this. She would be delighted
I would take my best friend Carol to celebrate her early retirement
My husband and I love an afternoon tea together and discovering new and delicious ones makes us very happy! So winning this would be a real treat and I would love to treat hubby for once!
Looks like you had a wonderful time and it all looks scrummy!
I’d love to win as I’m a new mum (7months) and treats for me are in short supply! I would take my parents.
I’d like to take my daughter as she has just had her first baby and it would be a lovely treat.
I would love to win this because it looks so decadent and delicious! I would take my husband, John, with me for a real treat together.
My teenage daughter, would be great to spend time with her. Might through in some girly shopping as well!
I have always wanted to do afternoon tea and I would love to go with my best friend and treat her
I’d love to take my partner I’ve always wanted to go for afternoon tea x
I’d love to have afternoon tea to celebrate my anniversary with my wife
I’d like to take my friend Jo. We’re both stay at home Mums to 2yr old boys who run rings around us. We don’t often get child free time, so this would be a real treat.
Would be really nice to celebrate a special occasion in a top notch location with a glorious Afternoon Tea. I would love to take my partner who has never enjoyed the delights of Afternoon Tea – and I know they would love it!
I would love to take my Mum and feel a lil bit royal ourselves 🙂
i would take my gf corrina 🙂
honestmum.com I’d take my daughter who works as a major trauma nurse. She loves cake and this would be such a treat for such a hardworking girl!
I’d take my best friend. We are off to London at the end of September for our annual trip!
I would take my daughter with me – she ADORES afternoon tea so much and is always nagging to go somewhere nice for afternoon tea.
I’d love to win so I can take my mum, we see ourselves as expert cake connoisseurs!
I would love to take my Mum with me. We keep saying that we are going to go for Afternoon Tea but haven’t got around to it. And in London makes it even better!
I would love to take my other half, Peter Lightfoot, for this special treat to celebrate his forthcoming birthday. It is too long since we last travelled into London together and this would give us the perfect reason.
I would take my friend, we could both do with some cheering up.
I would love to win because I’ve never been for afternoon tea and I would love to take my husband with me (who has also never been for afternoon tea).
Would love to treat my parents to this. Amazing!
I’d love to take my mum as she is always making cakes and treating everybody else, I’d love to give her a returm treat!
I would take my son as he often treats me so it would be lovely to repay him with something.
My mum is going in hospital soon for an operation so this would be a lovely treat for her when you gets out
I would love to take my teenage Daughter Ella. The Summer Holidays seem to be taken over with the younger Children’s activities so this would be some quality Mum and Daughter time with A bit of retail therapy thrown in to measure!!
would love to take my Mum and treat her she is the Queen of my Heart and deserves to have a Royal treat. she would be thrilled to have Afternoon Tea in such style at a beautiful hotel xx
I would like to win so I can treat me daughter-in-law to an afternoon tea and shopping trip
This looks like a fantastic experience and I’d love to treat my Mum to it.
This would be a lovely mother daughter day for me and my girls. We try to regularly have special time together.
I’d love for my Mum and I to go to this lovely afternoon tea for a day out together
I would love to treat my Grandma to this as she’s been complaining I’ve been away from home too much this year!
I would love to take my mum to celebrate her 60th birthday. She loves afternoon tea.
I’ve never had afternoon tea before and never done anything ‘posh’ but I would love to go with my husband, especially as we have just had our 22nd wedding anniversary but didn’t celebrate it because I was poorly 🙁