Famous Tea Drinkers: Who Drinks What and How They Take It
Lists of famous tea drinkers are everywhere, and most of them recycle the same handful of anecdotes until nobody knows where the facts came from. Did John Lennon really drink thirty cups a day? Does Lady Gaga actually travel with her own china? We went back to the sources to find out who genuinely loves tea, what they drink and how they take it.
The tea in this guide: Classic Earl Grey from £3.85 Shop it
The short answer: plenty of well-known people drink tea, from monarchs to rock stars. Queen Elizabeth II favoured Earl Grey, Assam or Darjeeling with milk and no sugar. Paul McCartney takes his with soya milk and one sugar. And yes, Lady Gaga does bring her own teacup.
At a glance
- Queen Elizabeth II drank Earl Grey, Assam or Darjeeling with milk and no sugar
- Paul McCartney takes tea with soya milk and one sugar (sometimes one and a half)
- Lady Gaga travels with her own china tea set and prefers black tea
- John Lennon reportedly drank 20 to 30 cups of tea daily
- Mick Jagger: 'I got nasty habits; I take tea at three'
Royalty and Earl Grey: Queen Elizabeth II
Former Royal Chef Darren McGrady confirmed that Queen Elizabeth II's favourite teas were Earl Grey, Assam or Darjeeling, served with a splash of milk and no sugar. Her afternoon tea at 5pm was described as 'absolutely sacrosanct', and she was known to insist on being 'mother' and pouring everyone else's tea before serving herself.
That ritual says something useful: the tea mattered, but so did the act of making it properly and sharing it with others. If you want to try the Queen's style, any good loose-leaf Earl Grey with a splash of milk and a two-to-three-minute steep will get you close.
Black Tea
Black tea with fragrant bergamot citrus. A bright, familiar cup for your afternoon break.
Have a lookRock stars who love tea
John Lennon: 20 to 30 cups a day
John Lennon reportedly drank between 20 and 30 cups of tea daily, occasionally substituting coffee. That is an extraordinary amount by any measure. Whether the number is exact or apocryphal, the man clearly ran on tea.
Paul McCartney: soya milk and one sugar
Paul McCartney wrote 'English Tea' and has been specific about his preferences: tea with soya milk and one lump of sugar, or one and a half sugars when 'feeling naughty'. He and Lennon reportedly wrote their first hits while improvising over tea, which is a better origin story than most.
Mick Jagger: tea at three
Mick Jagger's line 'I got nasty habits; I take tea at three' has become a tea-lover's shorthand for afternoon ritual. Whether he meant it ironically or not, a 3pm cup is genuinely one of the better times for a brew: far enough from lunch to want a lift, close enough to dinner that you will not spoil your appetite.
Jimi Hendrix: milk and two sugars
Jimi Hendrix's former girlfriend recalled that he drank tea with milk and two sugars. No fancy leaves, no elaborate ritual. Sometimes the best cup is the simplest one.
Celebrities who drink tea for their daily routine
Lady Gaga: black tea and her own china
Lady Gaga is frequently photographed with a teacup, and it is not just for show. She reportedly travels with her personal china tea set, demands tea in her concert dressing room, and says tea helps her 'think clearly and give an intelligent interview'. Her favourite is black tea. She also organised the Cup of Kindness charity campaign with Starbucks, with proceeds going to her Born This Way Foundation.
Bringing your own teacup might seem eccentric, but there is something to drinking from china you actually like. The cup changes the experience.
Barack Obama: berry tea in the morning
The 44th U.S. President reportedly preferred Red Berry Fruit Tisane and avoided fresh coffee while in office. He was also frequently seen with iced ready-to-drink tea. Berry-flavoured teas seem to have been his thing.
Oprah Winfrey: chai with everything
Oprah's chai latte reportedly contains black tea, rooibos, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and steamed milk. That is a proper spiced chai, the kind that warms you from the inside on a wet afternoon. If you want something similar, our Vanilla Chai has ginger and cinnamon with a vanilla finish.
Actors and their tea habits
The James Bond connection
At least three actors who played James Bond have been identified as tea drinkers: Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. Sean Connery was reported to sip tea while handcuffed during 1962's Dr. No, while Pierce Brosnan was said to enjoy tea during his 007 tenure in the 1990s and early 2000s.
A proper builder's cup of tea—a strong, straightforward brew—is a high compliment for bold black tea. If you like yours bold enough to handle milk and a biscuit, a malty breakfast blend or Assam is the place to start.
Benedict Cumberbatch and other British actors
When the Guardian interviewed Benedict Cumberbatch in 2011, the reporter described him making Earl Grey and asking whether they should share a tea bag. It is a charming detail, though it confirms only one cup on one occasion. Other British actors identified as tea lovers include Tom Hardy, Tom Holland, Colin Firth, Tom Hiddleston, Helena Bonham Carter and Michael Caine.
Green tea drinkers: Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and more
Several celebrities have been linked to green tea, including Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Johnny Depp and Christina Aguilera. Madonna has said her energy comes from green tea. Gwyneth Paltrow reportedly drinks it in the afternoon. Courtney Love has mentioned jasmine green tea specifically.
Green tea is a broad category. If you want to explore it, our Green Tea Tasting Box includes five loose-leaf greens from Japan and China, from grassy Sencha to jasmine and Dragonwell.
South American mates: Messi, Suárez and more
Footballers Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Sergio Aguero have all been photographed drinking yerba mate, the caffeinated South American tea often served in a gourd-like vessel.
Mate has a distinctive grassy, slightly bitter flavour and a caffeine content similar to coffee. If you are curious, we have written a guide to yerba mate that covers what to expect and how to brew it.
Common myths about celebrity tea drinkers
A few things that get repeated without evidence:
- 'Tea helped them lose weight' – Several articles link celebrities to tea with weight-loss claims, but none provide study details, dates or sample sizes. Tea is a drink, not a diet plan.
- 'Their beauty comes from drinking tea' – No evidence supports this. Drink tea because you enjoy it.
- 'Daniel Craig loves Earl Grey' – The Cumberbatch Earl Grey story is verified; Craig's tea preferences are not confirmed in the same way.
If a claim sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The best reason to drink tea is that you like it.
A quick comparison: what famous tea drinkers prefer
| Person | Tea | How they take it |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Elizabeth II | Earl Grey, Assam or Darjeeling | Milk, no sugar |
| Paul McCartney | English tea | Soya milk, one sugar |
| Lady Gaga | Black tea | From her own china |
| Oprah Winfrey | Chai | With steamed milk |
| John Lennon | Tea (type unspecified) | 20 to 30 cups daily |
Letterbox gift
Five loose leaf Earl Greys side by side, from the classic to creamy, zesty and malty takes on it.
Have a lookWhat to try next
If you want the Queen's afternoon cup, our Classic Earl Grey is black tea with bergamot citrus, bright enough to drink black and sturdy enough for milk. For a softer version, Cream Earl Grey adds a vanilla-like sweetness.
If you prefer something bolder for mornings, the Breakfast Tea Tasting Box includes five strong loose-leaf blends that all take milk, from a smooth English Breakfast to a smoky Huddersfield blend.
Not sure where to start? The Tea Finder asks a few questions and suggests teas based on what you actually enjoy.
Free UK delivery on orders over £35. Or call into the shop in Byram Arcade, Huddersfield, and we will make you a cup while you browse.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the most famous tea drinkers?
Queen Elizabeth II, who favoured Earl Grey, Assam and Darjeeling with milk and no sugar, is probably the most famous. Other well-known tea drinkers include Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, John Lennon and Mick Jagger. All have been documented drinking tea in interviews or by people who worked with them.
What tea did the Queen drink?
According to former Royal Chef Darren McGrady, Queen Elizabeth II's favourites were Earl Grey, Assam or Darjeeling, always with a splash of milk and no sugar. Her 5pm afternoon tea was reportedly treated as unmissable.
Do any celebrities drink green tea?
Yes. Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Johnny Depp and Christina Aguilera have all been linked to green tea. Courtney Love has mentioned jasmine green tea specifically. Green tea covers a wide range of styles, from grassy Japanese Sencha to fragrant Chinese jasmine.
What is celebrity tea?
The phrase 'celebrity tea' usually refers either to the tea preferences of famous people or to branded teas endorsed by celebrities. Oprah, for example, has a chai blend, and Padma Lakshmi launched a tea line in 2010. Lady Gaga collaborated with Starbucks on a tea-related charity campaign.
Did John Lennon really drink 30 cups of tea a day?
Reports suggest John Lennon drank between 20 and 30 cups daily, though the exact number is hard to verify. Even at the lower end, that is a lot of tea. He occasionally substituted coffee, but tea was clearly his main drink.
Which footballers drink yerba mate?
Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Sergio Aguero have all been photographed drinking yerba mate, a caffeinated South American tea. It is popular among South American players and often drunk from a traditional gourd.
