Why Queen Elizabeth Always Brought Her Own Water While Abroad

Queen Elizabeth II was a creature of habit and duty. It can be said that the former was derivative of the latter. For most of her reign, she was the busiest royal, performing 341 engagements in 2015 at the age of 90, per BBC. Her days and nights were filled with royal obligations, from endless official state paperwork to engaging with political and personal guests, appearances at daily events, state banquets, and glittering soireés, per Bustle. A schedule that busy doesn't allow for many sick days, and preserving her health was a top priority that she took seriously. Because of this, she maintained a strict diet at home and abroad.

Part of her health-preserving protocol was the water that she drank — and for a good reason. Two billion people worldwide lack access to clean and safe drinking water. In many places, this means the water supply is contaminated with parasites, bacteria, toxins, and industrial, human, or agricultural waste (World Health Organization). To prevent exposure, the Queen always carried cases of pure bottled water with her on her travels, and she even avoided eating certain foods, particularly seafood, abroad to avoid getting sick, according to Real Royalty. With a taste for the finer things, she had a particular water brand she preferred to sip on while traveling the world.

When drinking all of your water from a bottle, you're bound to pick a favorite — and the Queen preferred the taste of Hildon Natural Mineral Water. The brand became the official water of choice for the royal family (both in England and when traveling) when she bestowed the Royal Warrant, a coveted seal of approval, upon the brand after years of vetting. Only exclusive and dedicated companies that align with the values of the Royal Family receive this honor, per Express UK. It is also the preferred water of the esteemed Institute of Masters of Wine, a global organization devoted to codified wine education and providing expertise to the wine industry. So what makes this water so special?

Hildon comes from one source, in Hampshire, England. The unique water is bottled in glass on a country estate teemed with picturesque forests, gardens, and wildlife. It owes its "delicate purity and clean flavor" to its neutral pH and mineral content. According to Hildon's website, the 160-acre Hildon Estate is built upon a rock bed that filters and mineralizes its water — making pristine water fit for a queen and all of her global travels.