Prince Charles rejects chef's glass of water in 'playful' royal joke

Prince Charles surprised staff at Trinity restaurant with the quick-witted joke

Prince Charles
(Image credit: Photo by Ben A. Pruchnie - WPA Pool Getty Images)

Prince Charles has shown off his playful humor on a recent restaurant trip, cracking a quick joke that's likely to resonate with many royal fans. 


Prince Charles has always had a penchant for an alcoholic refreshment—and he's not ashamed to admit it. The future King of Britain is known to sip a pint (and sometimes pull one) at public engagements and has previously hailed Laphroaig whisky as his favorite tipple. 

And it's not just the drinking that the Prince of Wales enjoys—he's also fond of the production process. Last October, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall launched a gin with herbs grown in their home, proving there are more ways than one to become a gardener. 

Just last month, His Royal Highness even refused a glass of water, simply because it wasn't gin. The hilarious story unfolded at the high-end London restaurant, Trinity, during the Prince and Duchess Camilla's tour of Clapham Old Town. 

The royal couple stopped off at the Michelin-star establishment to line their stomachs after a busy day, only to be offered a disappointingly bland beverage. 

Renowned chef Adam Byatt described the experience as "one of the most amazing days I have ever had at Trinity", before recalling the funny exchange between Prince Charles and the servers. 

"The best part was my team offering HRH a glass of water with him then declining as it wasn’t gin," he said. "Such a lovely and playful sense of humor." 

Byatt added that Camilla and Charles "were lovely people and put everyone at ease." 

Inside the restaurant, the couple was introduced to representatives of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, who presented them with an array of decadent "canapes". 

After an impromptu cooking lesson and chat with staff, they moved on to explore the rest of the historic town. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.