Tom Hanks has revealed that the Queen’s drink of choice is a martini, a fact he learned while sitting next to her at dinner.
The Hollywood A-lister said he had prepared in advance for his “chit chat” with the monarch and had wanted to discuss things that were “of import but not presumptuous”.
He shared the anecdote as he appeared on the BBC’s The One Show alongside Austin Butler to promote the new Elvis biopic.
No way. @tomhanks as the bad guy?
We just can't wait to see him as Colonel Tom Parker in #ElvisMovie #TheOneShow @ElvisMovie pic.twitter.com/sP9kJHMykF
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) May 30, 2022
“The chit chat with The Queen is something that you’ve got to get ready for,” he said.
“I knew I was going to be sat next to her and so I wanted to be able to talk about things that were of import but not presumptuous.
“Then out of the corner of my eye I just saw this white gloved hand put between me and Her Majesty this glass of water.
“But it wasn’t in a water glass.
“It was a clear liquid and so I dared to ask the Queen, ‘and what is Your Majesty’s cocktail of choice?’, and she said, ‘ooh, martini!’.
“She had the one, that’s what she nursed throughout the course of the night, and I think, well, she’s had a wonderful reign so maybe if I were to polish up my game a bit I’ll start to drink martinis.”
His appearance on the BBC One show came days before the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend.