Tom Parker Bowles has spoken out to dispel a long-standing belief about his mother, Queen Camilla, saying the widely held image of her enjoying a gin and tonic with a cigarette simply isn’t true.

No Gin, No Cigarettes

Tom, 50, shared during a conversation on the White Wine Question Time podcast with Kate Thornton that Queen Camilla doesn’t drink gin at all and hasn’t smoked in decades. In fact, he says, “I’ve never seen her tipsy.” Instead, he described his mother as a very “moderate and sensible” drinker who prefers red wine.

He clarified, “She doesn’t drink gin, which is this whole thing, and she gave up fags 20 years ago—maybe 30.”

Food Preferences: Keep It Simple

The discussion also turned to food, as Tom was promoting his latest cookbook. He admitted that the majority of its contents wouldn’t appeal to his mother, who isn’t fond of heavily seasoned or spicy dishes. “She doesn’t really eat a lot of meat,” he explained. “If I did cook for her, it would probably be something like a piece of fish.”

He added, “She likes quite plain food. And contrary to the popular stereotype, I’ve never seen her even tipsy.”

A Persistent Royal Myth

Podcast host Kate Thornton acknowledged the enduring public image of Camilla enjoying gin and cigarettes, saying, “That kind of myth persists, doesn’t it? That she likes to knock back a G and T with a cigarette?”

Tom responded, “Exactly. That was the story for a long time, but it’s not true. She enjoys red wine, but even then, she’s incredibly moderate—maybe a glass and a half.”

He also praised her culinary skills, saying she makes “very good scrambled eggs.”

Wine Appreciation Runs in the Family

The Queen has previously spoken about her early introduction to wine, crediting it to her upbringing. As President of the United Kingdom Vineyards Association, she once shared: “My father was in the wine business so as children we used to take wine and water, and I have drunk it ever since. He always said it was his medicine and it kept him going. He used to take two or three glasses a day.”

King Charles’ Martini Ritual

While Queen Camilla prefers red wine, reports indicate that King Charles enjoys a daily gin martini. According to royal commentator Gordon Rayner, the King’s preferred cocktail consists of equal parts gin and dry vermouth, garnished with either an olive or a twist of lemon.

Rayner noted in an article for The Telegraph that Charles is so particular about his evening martini that he travels with his own ingredients and has his staff prepare it to his exact taste. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla reportedly brings along her preferred red wine, usually from the Pomerol region in Bordeaux.

Rayner wrote, “The King may sip a glass of wine during dinner, but his martini is effectively his only drink of the day.”