For The Love of Tea

The tradition of Afternoon Tea no doubt comes from the Brits’ fondness for tea that preceded the Duchess of Bedford’s idea to serve it with sandwiches and cakes.

The beverage has been a staple part of British life for over 350 years, when King Charles was gifted some by the East India Company. He and his wife, Princess Catherine of Braganza, liked the drink so much that the upper classes were soon trying it out and becoming hooked on it too.

When the taxes that made tea so expensive to buy were reduced, enjoyment of the drink spread even further, across all classes, and it soon became one of the most popular items of British consumption. Love for ‘the cuppa’ continues to this very day, with around 100 million cups of tea being consumed every single day in the UK. That’s a lot of tea leaves!

The East India Company continues to trade in Britain and has its flagship store in Mayfair.