Buckingham Palace Gin Launched Amid Royal Funding Crisis

Queen Elizabeth II's household has launched the "perfect thirst-quencher"—a London dry gin made from Buckingham Palace plants.

Brits hoping to take the edge off lockdown during hot summer days can raise a glass with the monarch's blessing after the new Buckingham Palace gin was announced today.

It comes as the queen's palaces face the prospect of mass layoffs and any profits raised will be channeled back into the organisation, helping keep staff in their jobs.

The spirit is grown from plants including lemon verbena, hawthorn berries, bay leaves and mulberry leaves all grown in the gardens of Elizabeth's London residence.

The gin will be served at official royal events in future, meaning it will likely be drunk by the great and good of British society.

And the royal household has even offered serving suggestions, including using an ice-filled short tumbler with tonic and a slice of lemon.

The 70cl bottle's cost around £40 ($50) and can be bought online from the Royal Collection Trust (RCT) website or its shops at royal palaces which are due to reopen later this month.

However, U.S. fans may have to wait before they can sample the royal tipple as shipping restrictions mean deliveries are currently only going to the U.K.

A trust spokesperson told Newsweek: "Due to international shipping restrictions, the gin is currently only available for delivery within the United Kingdom."

The RCT faces the prospect of mass layoffs due to coronavirus creating a predicted annual loss of £30 million ($37 million).

Staff at the queen's palaces will therefore be hoping the gin sells well as profits will go towards propping up the organisation.

Publicity material for the gin reads: "The spirit is infused with citrus and herbal notes derived from 12 botanicals, several of which are from Buckingham Palace garden, including lemon verbena, hawthorn berries, bay leaves and mulberry leaves.

"The garden at Buckingham Palace provides a habitat for 30 species of birds and more than 250 species of wildflowers. The planting of mulberry trees was popularised in England during the reign of James I, and this royal association continues today, with 40 different species of the trees in the Palace garden.

"The Buckingham Palace gin, 42% abv, will also be served at official events at the Palace. For the perfect thirst-quencher, the recommended serving method is to pour a measure of the gin into an ice-filled short tumbler before topping up with tonic and garnishing with a slice of lemon."

Windsor Castle, parts of Buckingham Palace and Holyrood House will begin accepting visitors from July 23, however, U.S. tourists still face a two-week quarantine on arrival in Britain.

The trust said in a statement last week: "The Covid-19 pandemic has posed by far the greatest challenge to Royal Collection Trust in the charity's history.

"The closure to the public of Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, and The Queen's Galleries in London and Edinburgh has had a very significant and serious impact on our finances, as we are entirely funded by visitor income from admissions and related retail sales.

"In the short term, the impact has been significant. Income expectations for the financial year have been revised from the £77 million originally forecast to around £13 million. Based on current cost assumptions, it is estimated that Royal Collection Trust will incur a loss of £30 million by the end of 2020/21."