Cheers to the King: The Prince and Princess of Wales Surprise Fans With Impromptu Gin Tasting

Candie GetgenMay 8th, 2023, 4:39 pm

The Prince of Wales, holding a can of Organic Coronation Ale, and the Princess of Wales during a walkabout meeting members of the public on the Long Walk near Windsor Castle, Berkshire, where the Coronation Concert to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla is being held. Picture date: Sunday, May 7, 2023. (Photo: Press Association via AP Images)

On Sunday, the Prince and Princess of Wales surprised fans who had gathered for a “Big Lunch” event outside Windsor Castle by participating in an impromptu gin tasting.

As the couple mingled with the crowd, a group of enthusiastic fans, dressed in yellow crowns and shirts marking King Charles III’s coronation, presented the royals with beer decorated with labels depicting the king. William took two cans, including the “Return of the King” ale, declaring he would save them for later, according to Crow River Media.

Amid the revelry, William and Kate were offered an impromptu tasting of homemade gin.

During the tasting, William encouraged Kate to try some of the “Purple Reign” gin, per the report. She seemed to enjoy the drink, exclaiming, “Ohh this is very nice.”

The coronation encouraged more than just a spontaneous gin tasting, as distilleries all around the U.K. turned to it as inspiration for launching limited-edition gin. Gearing up for the historical event well in advance, Buckingham Palace released a pink coronation gin in February made with raspberries from the Windsor Castle Estate.

Soon after, many other spirit producers joined in to debut their very own royal-themed gins, such as Silent Pool and its floral Coronation Gin.

Find our full coronation gin roundup here.

Kate Middleton’s Favorite Holiday Dessert Can Now be Enjoyed in the Form of Gin

The 5 Top-Rated Gins of April 2023

Here at Gin Raiders, we do more than write about current events in gin and spirits. We are the only media property reviewing gins and aggregating the scores and reviews of other significant voices in the gin world in one place. If you’re interested in getting a shot of gin in your morning email, sign up for our Deal of the Day newsletter.

Filed Under:

Follow The Daily Pour:

Candie Getgen

Candie Getgen is an editor and the database manager for The Daily Pour. Before immersing herself in the world of spirits journalism, Candie has been many things: a bartender, a literary journal editor, an English teacher — and even a poet. Candie has a passion for gin and shares it with the world in hopes of helping others fall in love with it, too (if they haven't already!). When not writing, Candie enjoys sipping a Negroni while drawing or relaxing by the pool with a campy mystery novel.