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The One Major Secret to Living to 95, According to Queen Elizabeth

The British monarch reportedly engages in this enjoyable habit four times a day.

At 95 years old, Queen Elizabeth has had a longer reign than any British monarch that preceded her. While access to top-tier medical care, an adoring populace, and an army of adorable corgis to keep her active may have contributed to the Queen's incredible longevity, royal insiders say there's yet another secret to her healthy and long life: a habit she partakes in up to four times daily.

Read on to discover the Queen's secrets for staying healthy and active at 95. And for more on how your favorite stars live long, healthy lives, check out these 3 Major Secrets to Living to 99, According to Betty White.

She reportedly drinks four cocktails a day.

queen elizabeth II toasting with champagne
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images

In his book Long Live the Queen: 23 Rules for Living from Britain's Longest-Reigning Monarch (via Women's Health), author Bryan Kozlowski claims that the Queen "habitually [knocks] back four strong cocktails a day—starting just before luncheon."

"Throughout her reign, alcohol has always served in the function of fast-acting stress reliever—a dose of liquid decompression on hectic days," Kozlowski adds.

9 Healthiest Cocktails You Can Make at Home

She takes daily walks.

queen elizabeth walking on the beach with her corgi
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

According to the Queen's biographer, Ingrid Seward, author of The Queen's Speech, My Husband and I, and Prince Philip Revealed, Queen Elizabeth is "a great believer in sensible exercise."

Seward says that the Queen's preferred form of exercise is the daily walk she takes with her beloved corgis.

Related: Over 60? These Walking Tips Will Help You Lose Weight

She rides horses.

queen elizabeth with her hair in a scarf riding a horse
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images

Corgis aren't the only animals that the queen has a fondness for, insiders say.

The monarch is also an avid horseback rider, and a 2020 report in Vanity Fair suggests the queen makes horse rides part of her daily routine. "She is riding out every day and is making the most of this time," a palace insider told the publication.

She sticks to the same meals every day.

queen elizabeth in a purple suit cutting cake
Chris Jackson – WPA Pool / Getty Images

Variety may be the spice of life, but when it comes to the Queen's longevity, repetition is key.

Brian Hoey, author of At Home with the Queen, says (via House and Garden) that she typically has cookies and Earl Gray tea upon waking, followed by toast with marmalade, yogurt with maple syrup, or cereal for breakfast.

According to Darren McGrady, a former chef for the royal family, the queen favors fish and vegetables for lunch, tea and cookies or cake for a snack, and meat or fish, like pheasant, venison, or salmon, for dinner.

For more longevity hacks, check out these 20 Foods You Should Be Eating Every Day for a Longer Life, and for the latest healthy eating news delivered to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter!

Sarah Crow
Sarah Crow is a senior editor at Eat This, Not That!, where she focuses on celebrity news and health coverage. Read more about Sarah