GBBO's Prue Leith Once Had An Awkward Encounter With Queen Elizabeth

When it comes to quintessentially British specialties, few rival the charm of a cup of tea. With its simplest variation requiring just two ingredients — a teabag and hot water — you're probably thinking that it would be impossible to get wrong. But even "Great British Bake Off" judge Prue Leith managed to brew up a storm during a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II. On Instagram, she revealed that the late monarch once toured a building that Leith was catering for. To prepare, the Michelin-starred chef called the palace beforehand for strict instructions, explaining, "I thought, if I know how she likes the tea, I'll be able to produce a good one." But her attempt was stonewalled, with Leith admitting, "The equerry would not tell me. You'd think it was a state secret!" In fact, she was instructed simply to present it on a silver tray accompanied by lemon. 

At the event, the queen wanted black tea. So, "I thought, 'all right, I know how to do this.'" The "GBBO" judge put a lemon slice into the cup, but as she poured the water, the queen requested, "No lemon, thanks." Without a second cup, Leith reasoned, "I can hardly flick it onto the floor, so I put it down ... [and] the lemon, which has now been soused in tea, spread this brown stain all over the tray cloth." The celebrated chef kept calm and carried on, but unfortunately, "I topped it up with hot water, because I thought, well, people who like black tea usually like it weak." But Her Majesty interjected again, wanting it strong.

Luckily, the incident tarnished only the tray cloth and not her sterling reputation. In fact, Queen Elizabeth II made Prue Leith a Dame in the 2021 New Year's Honours list for her contributions to food, broadcasting, and charity. Discussing her award on "The Jonathan Ross Show," the "Great British Bake Off" stalwart hilariously divulged: "You can have a coat of arms if you're a Knight or Dame [...] They said, 'What do you want for your motto?' And I said I was 'JFDI,' by which I mean, 'Just f***ing do it." The royal representatives ultimately advised that the expletive wouldn't be appreciated in higher circles so she chose "nothing in moderation" instead (via HuffPost).

The late queen had awarded her with prestigious titles before: Once in 1989 for her OBE, and again in the 2010 Birthday Honours for her CBE, sharing the privilege that year with actor Catherine Zeta-Jones. Leith's royal involvement also includes a nod to King Charles III. To commemorate his coronation in May 2023, she whipped up a special "King Charles stamp" salmon pie for the high-end grocery chain Waitrose. In the UK, Waitrose holds the distinction of being the sole supermarket with a royal warrant, which means it's the only one trusted to stock the royal pantry. She shared the dish on Instagram, joking: "It is light and delicious (she says immodestly!)."