Royal Family News: Royal Women Were Once Encouraged To Booze It Up For This Very Painful Reason

British royal family news teases that there was a time when the United Kingdom’s royal women were encouraged, even urged, to drink, drink, drink. What was the reason for the bottoms up philosophy?

Actually, the reason was a very good one and we have all of the details about the boozy advice given to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, among others, right here.

Female Royal Family Members Were Encouraged To Drink Alcohol For A Specific Reason

In a nutshell, or in a shot glass as the case may be, royal babes were traditionally birthed at home. This means that in the past royal births occurred in one’s own home without the advantage of modern medicine. Ouch.

This was the case for centuries with Queen Elizabeth herself being born at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair in her maternal grandparent’s home. Her Majesty followed this tradition with her four children with Prince Philip; all of her children were born in a palace.

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Princess Anne was born at Clarence House, one of the royal family’s residences in London. Town & Country reported that she was born there because Buckingham Palace was undergoing renovations after being damaged in World War II.

In the case of the sovereign’s sons, Prince Charles was born in Buckingham Palace as well as his brothers Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

The tradition was broken when Princess Diana had Prince William in St. Mary’s instead of at home. This makes William the first British heir to the throne to be born in a hospital.

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Did The Queen Follow Expert Advice And Drink After Giving Birth At Home?

The Loop reports that the royal moms-to-be did not have access to painkillers for at-home births until 1853–when Queen Victoria asked for chloroform while in labor with her eighth child.

Before that time the UK royals were told to help themselves to the spirits in order to get through the tortures of childbirth. Dr. Edmund Chapman is credited with encouraging imbibing, writing, “The woman is to drink freely of white-wine caudle and chicken broth; the latter of which is more necessary after a great loss of blood. If she continues to have an immoderate discharge, her caudle is to be made with red wine, instead of a white.”
A “caudle” according to author Diane Morris is a “warm drink made by mixing a thin gruel of oatmeal with wine or ale, spices, and sugar.” Thank heaven for modern medicine.

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