A monarch crossing continents might naturally be expected to fly with a certain degree of elegance — polished service, comfortable seating and every possible convenience close at hand.
Queen Elizabeth II was certainly no exception. During her remarkable reign, she travelled widely, with royal tours taking her from Australia and New Zealand to the UAE and Oman.
Her final overseas flight was to Malta in 2015, and over the course of her lifetime she visited 117 countries.
As one of the most recognisable travellers on the planet, the late Queen had her own set of in-flight habits, requests and preferences — some practical, others rather more surprising.
The Daily Mail takes a closer look at Queen Elizabeth II’s in-flight requests and the royal travel routines she followed in the air.
Pre-flight tipple
Plenty of frequent flyers have a familiar pre-journey ritual, whether it is an airport pint with a Greggs sausage roll or a coffee paired with a croissant.
The Queen’s own routine was not entirely different — and, according to reports, it began with a drink before take-off.
Queen Elizabeth II was said to have enjoyed a martini before boarding
Details of the Queen’s flying habits have emerged from a memorabilia collection compiled by a former flight attendant who worked for British Airways for 28 years from 1970.
Birmingham local Elizabeth Evans served many famous faces throughout her career – with some of the most memorable journeys being the Queen and Prince Philip’s 1989 tour of Singapore and Malaysia.
One note in Ms Evans’ collection said: ‘Her Majesty tends to like a martini before her guests arrive.’
A bowl of sugar-free mints
Another note told air stewards to make sure that a bowl of mints was placed beside her before take off – and also in her dressing room.
A bowl of sugar-free mints was always on hand before take-off, and during the flight
The late Queen, pictured here in 1953, would always bring her own pillows when flying
She favoured Velamints, a sugar-free mint that was launched in the United States in 1977.
The brand is credited as the US’s first sugar-free mint, sweetened with natural sweeteners such as stevia.
Pillow talk
Pillows are among the most complained-about items on board planes, with many travellers complaining of their discomfort.
While Queen Elizabeth may have enjoyed more comfortable surroundings than the average passenger, she still took her own pillows on board to ensure a good night’s sleep.
Flight attendants working on her flights were given a specific set of instructions on how to treat Queen Elizabeth II.
This included liaising with Her Majesty’s dresser to ensure the Queen’s bed was made up correctly.
‘The Queen has her own pillows,’ a note from the collection read.
Queen Elizabeth II, pictured here disembarking a flight in Trinidad in 2009
She would request not to be woken if the plane landed while she was still asleep
Getting some rest
That’s not the only bedtime-related request the royal asked of staff.
British Airways staff on a Concorde jet Queen Elizabeth flew on were told that if she was still asleep upon landing, they were not to disturb her slumber and should leave her in bed.
Furthermore, she asked for silence while she was sleeping.
According to reports, crew were not permitted to pass through the royal cabin without permission, while noise in the forward galley was prohibited.
Keeping hydrated
Hydration is paramount on board – and Her Majesty favoured one brand in particular.
The Queen was also said to insist on having one particular brand of water wherever she travelled: Malvern spring water.
Former royal spokesman Dickie Arbiter said: ‘The only thing the Queen requests to have wherever she is is Malvern water.
‘She likes Malvern water, it’s refreshing and they usually take lots of it with her.’
She also enjoyed a certain kind of water, reports have indicated
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip during a Royal Tour of Canada in 2010
Plus, to beat jet-lag, the Queen was said to consume barley sugar, in the form of hard-boiled sweets.
Channel 5 documentary Secrets Of The Royal Flight describes barley sugar as the Queen’s ‘secret weapon’.
While it is not backed by science, reports have explained the sugary snack can help adjust your body clock.
