Francesca Beauman, managing director of the independent publisher Persephone Books in Bath, recently experienced a memorable moment with Queen Camilla during her visit to the bookshop. As part of a city tour that included the Holburne Museum and Theatre Royal’s rehearsal of David Copperfield, the Queen stopped by Persephone Books to discuss female literature and the Buckingham Palace library.
Francesca and her business partner, Nicola Beauman, guided the Queen around the shop before settling down for a cup of tea. According to Francesca, the Queen requested her tea with milk and one sugar. This sparked a brief “etiquette drama” over who should pour the milk and when. Traditionally, tea is poured before the milk, but in this case, the Queen herself charmingly poured the milk into her cup.
The conversation centered on the importance of resurrecting lost literary voices and spotlighting women’s contributions to literature. The Beauman sisters presented Queen Camilla with three books for the royal library: Crooked Cross by Sally Carson, They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple, and Mariana by Monica Dickens.
READ MORE: BBC Sitcom Filmed in Somerset Renewed for Thrilling Second Series
READ MORE: Bath Hotel Unveils Bookworm’s Retreat Featuring Curated Gift from Local Bookshop
Outside the shop, a warm crowd awaited the Queen’s departure, reflecting the excitement surrounding the visit. This marked Queen Camilla’s second South West engagement this month, following a trip to the Avon and Somerset Police headquarters in Portishead.
Reflecting on tea etiquette, historically detailed by Debrett’s guide, the proper ritual involves the host pouring tea first, followed by milk or lemon and sugar. Notably, milk should never be added to lemon tea due to curdling caused by the citrus acid.