Camilla visited the headquarters of the Worshipful Company of Vintners.
The Queen said she was raised to have a love of wine as she made an impromptu speech at the spiritual home of “one of the best industries there is” on Wednesday.
Camilla, a member of the Worshipful Company of Vintners – one of the oldest livery companies in the City of London – visited its headquarters by the River Thames to attend a reception hosted by its Master Vintner, Richard Wilson.
The Queen last went to Vintners’ Hall in 2017, when she was made a liveryman as Duchess of Cornwall.
Known to favour a red, the Queen was handed a glass before she met members of the Company and given a Vintners’ Company Pauillac, 2016, a rich, full-bodied wine, as well as the original copy of a book written by her grandfather.
Making an impromptu speech after receiving the gifts, Camilla, who wore a green velvet gown, said: “That’s really, really kind, thank you very much. Can I just say what a pleasure it is to be back again? I can’t remember the last time I was here, but I did promise then I would be back again.
“Probably everybody knows my love of wine, it’s in my blood and I was brought up by a father whose passion was wine, without a doubt. We drank wine as children, we grew up like the French.
“I remember the early days of going to Bordeaux with my father and wine-tasting, which was very interesting, learning how to spit properly.
“I wanted to say thank you to all of you here for contributing so much to one of the best industries there is.”
Viewing signatures from her previous visits in the guest book, Camilla remarked: “It’s very nice to be back. It’s something I really enjoy,” recalling her late father Major Bruce Shand’s connection to the industry as a wine merchant.
She was shown an original 1928 copy of A Book Of Wine, written by her paternal grandfather Philip Morton Shand, known as P Morton Shand.
Upon being told the book was a first edition, Camilla replied: “Oh, is it? How fascinating,” adding she had a copy at home before her son Tom Parker Bowles, “the (wine) expert”, “snuffled it away”.
The Queen greeted a group of Swan Uppers – who help carry out the annual census of the swan population along the Thames – in what is said to be the oldest working room in the City, dating back to 1672, and remarked on their swan-patterned ties.
On being invited to view a Swan Upping, she said she will “definitely” return to the event as would like to see it again.
Camilla received five cheers as she departed, a Company tradition which commemorates a banquet held in the hall in 1363 and attended by five kings, including Edward III of England.
Receiving its first Royal Charter in 1363, The Vintners’ Company is one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies and is known as the spiritual home of the international wine trade.
For centuries, it was involved in the import, regulation and sale of wine, and, although it no longer has a regulatory role, it continues to have ties with the trade and does considerable charitable work.
