‘I’ve Made Martinis for a King’: Paul Feig and King Charles Once Shared Gin Bottles

(Photos: Matt Cardy/Getty Images and Paul Feig/Instagram)

Director (“Bridesmaids,” “Spy” and “A Simple Favor”) and cocktail enthusiast Paul Feig recently visited King Charles III (Prince Charles at the time) at his Highgrove estate where the duo swapped bottles of gin, according to Parade.

During the visit, Feig and his wife, Laurie Feig, had tea and drank martinis with the monarch, Parade reported.

“He’s a really wonderful guy. I really liked him,” Feig told Parade. “At the end, he gave me a bottle of his gin, and I gave him a bottle of my gin. I actually made martinis for him, so I’ve made martinis for a king. I definitely have to put that on my résumé now.”

When discussing whose gin was better, Feig added, “Let’s just say all gins are wonderful in their own way,” per Parade.

(Photo: Paul Feig/Instagram)

Feig’s gin, Artingstall’s Brilliant London Dry, is made with orris root, cassia, elderberries, citrus and juniper. The spirit is bottled at 42% ABV — which Feig noted is within the range of ABV he prefers for a dry martini — and can be found for under $50. The Artingstall’s brand also makes a ready-to-drink Negroni.

Feig is also the author of “Cocktail Time!: The Ultimate Guide to Grown-Up Fun,” a book packed with cocktail recipes and “cocktail culture” guides.

(Photo: Royal Collection Shop)

Charles’ gin, Buckingham Palace Dry, is made with Lemon verbena, hawthorn berries and mulberry leaves (and other unlisted botanicals), all hand-picked from the Buckingham Palace Gardens. The gin is only available for shipping within the U.K.

Charles has also been noted as a true gin lover. According to recent reports, the king apparently drinks a martini every night and has a special gin glass he takes with him when traveling.

Read more: Complete List of Celebrity-Owned Gins

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