September finally brought some good news from across the pond about the royal family. In a heartwarming and deeply personal video, Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced that she had finished the chemotherapy portion of her cancer battle. It featured images of Kate, Prince William and their three children, George, Charlotte and Louis, sharing hugs and laughs. While she is still not cancer-free, and her journey is ongoing, I think we should all raise a toast to honor the brave and well-loved princess.
Princess Kate, like other members of Britain’s royal family, has been known to imbibe a drink or two to celebrate or to relax. In 2023, Kate and her husband both enjoyed a pint of Guinness during an official visit to the Gravity Bar at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. That same year, when she attended the Houghton Festival with friends, she reportedly indulged in several of those tequila-based classics, margaritas.
As reported previously in this column, during their college years at St Andrews, both William and Kate favored a punch-like cocktail named Treasure Chest. This combination of peach liqueur, brandy and Champagne was served in a wooden chest for £135 a pop at Mahiki, a now-closed London tiki bar.
According to the Daily Express, Kate also enjoys a nice gin and tonic. The article said that William apparently brings his wife one after putting their three children to bed. Now that’s a real Prince Charming!
But her top cocktail might just be the one she chose to serve at her wedding in 2011: the unroyally named Crack Baby.
While its moniker sounds like it may have come from the slums, the ingredients are posh, including Champagne and Chambord — the French raspberry liqueur that comes in a bulbous bottle with a crown on top. The other components are vodka, passion fruit juice and one of Britain’s favorite treats, strawberries.
Kate is said to have discovered the drink at the Boujis bar in London’s upscale Kensington, where it was invented. The glitterati hotspot, known for its strict door policy, was a favorite haunt of the young royals.
This light, sweet and dangerously drinkable combination quickly earned its reputation for being “moreish” — meaning it’s so nice that you want to keep drinking more. Originally, the drink was served in a syringe, a far cry from the sophisticated image associated with the polished princess.
Boujis eventually closed, in 2016. There were incidents of fighting, but perhaps the most shocking accusation was that staff members were filling bottles of Dom Pérignon with a much cheaper £10 alternative, ripping off their well-heeled customer base.
According to makemeacocktail.com: “Rather than shutting down permanently, the venue reinvented itself as a private members-only club, shifting focus from late-night revelry to a more refined dining experience. It’s likely that Kate still enjoys her favorite cocktail there, away from prying eyes.”
Despite the Boujis shutdown, the Crack Baby cocktail lives on in other trendy bars eager to give their customers the royal treatment. And if you have a blender, it’s easy to whip up a batch at home. Combining the tart passion fruit with the sweet strawberries and raspberry liqueur makes for a nice flavor balance, and the Champagne on top gives it a refreshing and bubbly edge.
So let’s all lift our glasses to Princess Kate and wish her well on her recovery!
The Crack Baby
1 liter passion fruit juice
375ml vodka
280ml Chambord
15 strawberries, hulled and chopped, with more for garnish
750ml brut Champagne
Put ice, passion fruit juice, vodka, chopped strawberries and Chambord in a blender and mix well. Pour into a martini glass until half full, then top with Champagne. Stir lightly and serve with a strawberry garnish.
