Inside Queen Elizabeth II’s royal flights: Flight attendant’s notes reveal her in-flight preferences

An archive of notes and memorabilia collected by Elizabeth Evans, a former British Airways flight attendant, sheds light on the routine and preferences of Queen Elizabeth II during her and Prince Philip's 1989 tour of Singapore and Malaysia.According to reports by People magazine, Evans served the late monarch and Prince Philip on a British Airways Royal Flight during their visit to Singapore and Malaysia. The collection, which is being auctioned by Hansons Auctioneers in the United Kingdom, includes service instructions, signed menu cards, wine lists, and personal notes gathered during Evans’ nearly three-decade-long career with the airline.The archive provides intriguing insight into the meticulous arrangements made for the royals during their travels.A martini before meeting guestsIn addition to the above-mentioned details, one of the pieces of information that gained wide popularity in the media was the Queen’s fondness for a cocktail known as a “martini” before entertaining guests on board.So, as per one of Evans’ notes, Queen Elizabeth II “tends to like a martini before her guests arrive.”The notes also mentioned that a full supply of Velamints, a mint confectionery popular in the United Kingdom at the time, was expected to be available before take-off and inside the Queen’s dressing room during the flight. The instructions further stated that cabin crew were not expected to wake the monarch if she were asleep before landing. The reports have attracted attention online because they offer a glimpse into the practical arrangements surrounding royal tours and long-haul official journeys.Glimpse into the Concorde eraThe memorabilia have also fuelled interest in the golden age of luxury air travel involving Concorde and British Airways during the 1970s and 1980s. According to reports, Evans joined British Airways in 1970 and remained with the airline until 1998. During her career, she reportedly attended to several prominent personalities travelling aboard Concorde, the world’s first commercially operated supersonic passenger aircraft.According to a report by the New York Post, the collection includes autographs and memorabilia linked to celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Patrick Swayze, Rod Stewart, Cliff Richard, and tennis players Billie Jean King and Virginia Wade.It has also been reportedly stated that Evans considered her time working aboard Concorde during the 1980s and 1990s among the proudest moments of her career. The auction house further noted that the aircraft could complete journeys between London and New York in around three hours.Reportedly, smoking was also permitted aboard commercial flights during this era, indicating that aviation trends have significantly evolved over the years. Rediscovered years laterAccording to reports, the collection was uncovered by his niece, Jo Smallwood, after Evans's death in 2017. Smallwood allegedly discovered the memorabilia while sorting through her aunt’s personal property in South Africa and realised that they were of historical significance that should be shown to everyone.Smallwood, upon discovering the memorabilia, said she was amazed by how much there was, noting that it came from her aunt’s time working for British Airways. It was alleged that the collection would be sold at auction for between £400 and £600.While the documents do not reveal matters of state, they have sparked public curiosity because they offer a rare glimpse into the routines and comforts of royal travel.