Meghan Markle has always been a star in her own right, but ever since her marriage to Prince Harry in May of 2018, the actress’s fame has skyrocketed. I mean, not a day has gone by when headlines across the globe haven’t featured the Duchess of Sussex’s name — especially since she announced her pregnancy. People care about what she wears, what she eats (or isn’t allowed to eat), and even about what she drinks. And yes, we are guilty as charged, which is why we ordered one of the duchess’s favorite teas for a taste test.
According to Meghans Mirror, a source that chronicles Markle’s style, the duchess loves three teas: Teapigs Licorice & Peppermint Tea, Fortnum & Mason Royal Blend Tea, and the Kusmi Tea Detox blend (which, um, apparently sends you running to the bathroom). We decided to try the Fortnum & Mason blend to get the full royal treatment.
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According to Williams Sonoma, Fortnum & Mason is a brand that has supplied the royal family with tea for over 200 years. 200 years! The loose leaf tea itself “combines flowery Pekoes from Ceylon and Assam in a blend developed in 1902 for King Edward VII.” Its canister claims that the tea has gained popularity because of its honey-esque flavor.
Here at So Yummy, we like to put things to the test, figuring out what’s what before we go out on a limb to recommend something to you. Now, let’s discuss our thoughts…
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“I was really expecting something magical from this tea, but it tasted like a slightly more watered-down (and more bitter) English Breakfast. It smells super lovely (a lot of floral notes), but the scent doesn’t translate when you steep the tea. I tried Royal Blend without milk and sugar at first, and it was too bitter. So I added the suggested “splash of milk” only to find that the tea then lost its concentration of flavor. Maybe you have to be Meghan Markle in order for this to work, lol.” — Gina Vaynshteyn, editor-in-chief
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“Black tea isn’t my favorite to begin with and this tea tasted similar to it — pretty bitter on its own without milk. (We may have steeped it for too long — who knows.) However, when I did add whole milk, it toned down the flavor and made it taste really plain. Also, milk in tea is so WEIRD to me. What I didn’t like the most is that this product doesn’t say what kind of tea leaf it is, so I had no idea what to expect.” — Bailey Cox, editorial assistant
“The smell of the tea was a lovely mix of honey and herbal notes. It was a little bitter for my taste, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.” — Anna Buckley, brand design editor
“I was expecting this tea to be the equivalent of what happens when you kiss a frog — I though it would turn me into a princess, or at least make me feel like a princess. Sadly, it did neither. While it’s a nice tea that has a certain smoothness to it, it’s not exactly my cup of tea (ha ha). I prefer sweet, caffeine-free teas, and this came off as pretty caffeinated to me. While it tasted like a trip to London and would be nice every now and again, I probably wouldn’t drink this on the reg. Sorry, Meghan.” — Anna Gragert, senior editor
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Though Meghan Markle loves this tea, us here at So Yummy might go with something different when we curl up with a cuppa.
