Royals
Queen Elizabeth’s Secrets for Staying Young Include a Healthy Diet and Simple Skincare Routine
On a state visit to Washington, D.C., in 1991, Queen Elizabeth II kept up her usual quick pace, outperforming dignitaries half her age. She “left even the Secret Service panting,” joked then-President George W. Bush. He shouldn’t have been so surprised — Elizabeth has always been fit to rule.
The British monarch, who will turn 95 this spring, maintains a common-sense routine that has allowed her to look and act many years younger. It includes a sensible diet with daily indulgences, a smart skincare practice and long daily walks. “She can walk for miles,” confides former royal butler Paul Burrell.
While Elizabeth has never been a particularly vain woman, she does take good care of her skin and wears sunscreen and a hat outdoors. She also moisturizes with a tried-and-true brand of face cream, Cyclax, that has been around since 1896. Her favorite night potion costs just $12 a jar!
Likewise, her diet is no-frills. Elizabeth likes to start her day with tea and Special K cereal. Unless she is dining with others, her daily meals are uncomplicated meat, fish or chicken dishes with salad or vegetables. “No starch is the rule,” says former royal chef Darren McGrady.
She does, however, allow for treats. Elizabeth enjoys a daily gin and Dubonnet cocktail before lunch. At teatime, she might indulge in a sliver of chocolate cake. Then at the end of the day, Elizabeth sips a gin martini before dinner, but never consumes more than one. “She has something the rest of us don’t have says Burrell. “She has self-discipline.”
For more on this story, pick up the latest issue of Closer magazine, on newsstands now.
