It turns out Queen Elizabeth II had a secret 'booze tunnel' under St James's Palace

We all know the Queen loved a cheeky tipple. Well, according to one of her inner circle, the monarch had a secret "booze tunnel" running under a royal palace.

Word of the secret tunnel was let slip by Princess Eugenie's husband, Jack Brooksbank, at a party in 2021.

The party, sponsored by Brooksbank's own alcohol brand, Casamigos, was attended by many high-profile Londoners, including the Daily Mail's royal editor, Richard Eden. Perhaps a few drinks had already been had when Brooksbank revealed the details of the secret tunnel to Eden?

Eden claimed Brooksbank said: "There is one to Dukes Bar from St James's Palace. I haven't used it yet, but I'd love to check it out."

Dukes Bar is one of London's loftier drinking holes, situated within the Duke Hotel, in the illustrious suburb of Mayfair. The bar is said to make a rather fine martini, a fact that would have appealed to Queen Elizabeth II, who is said to have enjoyed one of James Bond's favourite drinks most evenings before her passing.

The tunnel to Dukes is not the only secret passageway the Queen has.

A segment on Good Morning Britain a few years ago revealed that the mirror in Buckingham Palace's white drawing room is in fact a door, behind which lies a tunnel leading to the Queen's private chambers. It seems the Queen enjoys using the tunnel to make a surprise entrance.

Meanwhile, the Queen - who sadly passed away on Thursday - made both gin and beer grown from ingredients grown on her royal estate.

This article was first published by the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.