London Afternoon Tea at Grosvenor House

Afternoon tea was invented by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford (1783-1857), one of Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting. In her day, the upper crust ate a huge breakfast, little lunch, and a very late dinner. Every afternoon, the duchess experienced a "sinking feeling." One afternoon she instructed her servants to serve tea and little cakes in her boudoir. The experience was so delightful that Anna repeated it every afternoon thereafter. Soon others followed the Duchess' lead, and in just a few decades the custom of "taking tea" in the afternoon had become well established.

Grosvenor House was one of the largest private houses situated on London's exclusive Park Lane in the district of Mayfair. The house was the home of the Grosvenor family - (better known as the Dukes of Westminster) for more than a century. Their original house was on Millbank, but after the family had developed their Mayfair estates, they move to Park Lane to build a house worthy of their wealth and of their status and influence in the 19th century.

Afternoon tea will be held in the Park room.

Anna's Afternoon Tea
A complete afternoon tea experience which includes a selection of finger sandwiches, plain and raisin buttermilk scones with Devonshire clotted cream and Cornish strawberry jam, a selection of cream puffs and French pastries and a choice of tea.