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Afternoon tea on the village green with Royal Albert

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The Royal Albert London Tea Tour at Kew Green

It’s not often that a person has the opportunity to be served Afternoon Tea on Royal Albert china on a sunny afternoon on a lovely village green – for free. But thanks to an invitation from Royal Albert (and a very thoughtful husband who doesn’t mind my dragging him by his gorgeous fifty-shades-of-grey hair all over the country for tea), it happened to me.

There’s nothing quite like Afternoon Tea served on beautiful china, and Royal Albert have been dishing up this type of English tea experience for over a hundred years. They started manufacturing china in 1896, and they continue to produce hundreds of beautiful patterns today – their most iconic being “Old Country Roses“.  This year, 2012, Royal Albert have updated several designs in their floral range to give them a fresh look and one that, I might add, screams out to be mixed-and-matched together. They are enchanting.

To celebrate the launch of the new patterns, Royal Albert tucked an adorable little van full of tea, cakes, and their beautiful new wares, and embarked on a Royal Albert London Tea tour, providing a “pop-up” afternoon tea experience for those of us who enjoy English style afternoon tea.  Lucky for me, one of these events was not too far away, so Mr. Tea and I toddled over to Kew Green on a crisp autumn Saturday morning for a late breakfast of tea and cake. (Don’t judge me.)

 

The Royal Albert London Tea Tour sign at Kew Green

It was a lovely day in Kew.
Several of these’Join us for Tea, Cake, Fun & Frivolity’ signs were strategically placed around Kew Green.

 

 

The Royal Albert London Tea Tour at Kew Green

A charming tea tent was set up with tables and chairs and …..

 

 

Bunting. Photo courtesy of Victoria's Vintage www.victorias-vintage.co.uk/

….. bunting!

 

 

The Royal Albert London Tea Tour van at Kew Green

Royal Albert’s friendly Tea Lady
You can see some of the beautiful new china patterns.

 

 

The Royal Albert London Tea Tour at Kew Green

Each table was set with a sugar bowl, milk jug, and 3-tier server of sweets using china from the new range. The fabric on the table cover and chair pads matched the china!

 

 

The Royal Albert London Tea Tour at Kew Green

“Coffee, tea or me?”
Server’s in smart waistcoats delivered cups of hot tea.

 

 

The Royal Albert London Tea Tour at Kew Green

Cupcakes and macarons for breakfast, anyone?

 

 

The Royal Albert London Tea Tour at Kew Green

Top: NEW COUNTRY ROSES (pink) pattern
Middle: ROSE CONFETTI pattern
Bottom: NEW COUNTRY ROSES (white) pattern

 

 

Royal Albert wallet. Photo courtesy of Victoria's Vintage www.victorias-vintage.co.uk/

Also on each table were really cute Royal Albert travel card cases, pretty postcards, and a booklet with photographs of the new china range.

 

 

Denise toasts The Royal Albert London Tea Tour at Kew Green

Cheers, Royal Albert!
Teacup: POLKA ROSE pattern

 

We were one of the first to arrive at Kew on that day, and it was fun to listen to the gasps of disbelief as people (like the family of 5 seated next to us who just happened to be on the green that morning) realised that there was no cost involved in this. Hopefully, it encouraged folks to think more about Afternoon Tea, and about the enjoyment that comes from making your own teatime just a little bit more special by using pretty dishes.

I think it’s outstanding that Royal Albert are willing to put all their beautiful china into the hands of the public (well, we did have to give it back). The pieces truly are lovely and the type of thing every tea lover should have in their china cabinet.

Thank you, Royal Albert, for a lovely Afternoon Tea on Kew Green!

Visit the Tea in England Facebook page for additional photos of the tea.

 

(Thanks to Victoria’s Vintage for letting me use her image of the bunting and travel card since I had forgotten to take pictures of those two things!)


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