What to drink over the Platinum Jubilee weekend

The Platinum Jubilee marks the Queen’s ascension to the throne 70 years ago and her majesty’s service as the longest-reigning British monarch. It will be a wonderful weekend of celebrations, with plenty of drinks shared around the country.

On the Queen’s coronation day in 1953, the German Moselle Brauenberger 1943 and Champagne Krug 1945 were two of the wines served at the coronation banquet; it is a sign of the times that these wines have either fallen out of the British public’s favour or become prohibitively expensive. 

Since the 1950s, our palates and day-to-day drinking habits have changed tremendously; there is a multitude of modern wines that would be viewed as little more than local curiosities when the coronation was happening. For most of us, a time before Prosecco, Pinot Grigio and Malbec seems almost unfeasible. 

We are spoilt for choice these days, but here’s my guide to what to drink over the Platinum Jubilee weekend.

Beer: Joker IPA from Williams Bros. Brewery at £1.90 per 500ml bottle – Waitrose

Kick off the celebrations with an IPA, or India Pale Ale. British sailors, on their way to India, filled their light ale barrels with hops as a preservative, which in time reduced the fruitiness and created a citrus tang that brewers now emphasise. With a cornucopia of exciting beers being produced around the UK, I’ve chosen my favourite Scottish brewer Williams Bros from Alloa and their Joker IPA.

Wine: Platinum Jubilee Pageant Edition Whispering Angel Rosé 2021 at £22.50 from Harvey Nichols

Watching the Platinum Party at the palace should be enjoyed with a delicious glass of Provençale rose. This beautifully crisp and dry rosé from the south of France is growing hugely year on year. Whispering Angel is a fragrant and aromatic red fruit-driven wine, made famous by the superb Caves d’Escalans. As an official partner of the celebrations, they have created a special Platinum Jubilee Edition, perfect to drink over the Platinum Jubilee weekend.

Spirit: Hendrick’s Orbium Gin at £33.03 from Master of Malt

Finally, with more than 70,000 “Big Jubilee Lunches” planned in the four UK nations on Sunday, there could be nothing better than a quintessentially British gin and tonic to enjoy with the neighbours. This much-loved drink was first referenced in print as late as 1868, but there has been a gin boom in recent years. For my money, few can beat the delicious Hendrick’s. Orbium is one of the newer variations, distilled with additional extracts of quinine, wormwood and blue lotus blossom.