State banquets at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are full of lavish floral arrangements, the best wines and decadent foods. But the Royal Family broke tradition with the spread for the Nigerian state banquet on Wednesday, March 18, going for a full vegetarian meal and no alcohol to honor Ramadan.
King Charles and Queen Camilla welcomed Nigeria’s president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and first lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to Windsor Castle on Wednesday morning, following their daytime events with a formal state dinner. Typically a variety of wines are served and a specialty cocktail is created in honor of their guests, like the “Transatlantic Whisky Sour” that was served for Donald Trump’s state visit in September 2025.
But since alcohol is prohibited for strict Muslims like the Nigerian president, a mocktail was crafted for Wednesday’s banquet—and it sounds like the ideal drink for sipping on a patio this spring.
Dubbed the “Crimson Bloom,” the drink was inspired by the Chapman, a popular mocktail in Nigeria. The Royal Family’s recipe “unites Nigerian Zobo and English Rose” to create a refreshingly fruity and tart drink, per the monarchy’s Instagram Stories. To make your own version, combine grenadine with fresh lemon, sparkling English Rose soda and a syrup of dried hibiscus leaves and ginger.
In the photo shared by the Royal Family, they used Luscombe Damascene Rose Bubbly, a non-alcoholic British mixer made from rose petals, grapes and Devon spring water. The brand also holds The King's stamp of approval, having held a coveted royal warrant since 2021.
Although she appeared to sip water during a toast at the banquet, the option of a creative non-alcoholic drink was likely well received by Princess Kate. The Princess of Wales revealed during a recent visit to a London brewery that she's cut back on drinking after her 2024 cancer diagnosis.
“Since my diagnosis, I haven’t had much alcohol,” she shared while pouring pints at a brewery, adding, “it’s something I have to be a lot more conscious of now.”
With delicious mocktails like these, who needs liquor?
