Think of summer and you think Pimm's – the quintessentially British drink, filled to the brim with delicious fruit.
The gin-based fruit cup liqueur was created in 1823 by James Pimm and it's been a summertime staple ever since at high society English events.
Former royal chef Darren McGrady reveals that Pimm's is also a favourite at the Queen's Buckingham Palace garden parties, served with a traditional picnic tea of sandwiches and scones.
WATCH: The Queen's daily diet
In a new YouTube video, Darren says: "We served Pimm's a lot at Buckingham Palace in the summer at garden parties and things, and it's no secret that the Queen is a lover of gin - and it's a gin-based drink. With a splash of lemonade in there, it's a super-refreshing drink.
"You won't believe the garnish that goes into the royal Pimm's recipe," he adds.
The Queen's former chef shows how to make a royal Pimm's
"Forget just a slice of lemon – there are seven different things! It's almost a fruit salad. Sliced oranges, lemons, cherries (stones removed of course) strawberries, cucumber, mint and borage" (a flowering herb).
In the video we see the monarch's former chef recreate the royal Pimm's, beginning by adding the garnish to the glass.
Pimm's is a traditional English drink
Interestingly, Darren only uses the peelings of a cucumber, explaining: "The flesh part would all go mushy – and anyway, that is used for royal tea sandwiches."
Then one adds the Pimm's and lemonade to the garnish to complete the drink.
"That's one part Pimm's and two or three parts lemonade," he advises. "Some members of the royal family measured it the other way round and I'm not saying who!"
The Queen at one of her garden parties
Ooh, we wonder who it is… does the Queen like a rather strong Pimm's, we wonder?
We believe we'd fit in rather well at the palace...
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