FORTNUM & MASON, Queen Anne Blend, 25 Tea Bags

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In reaction to the queen’s infertility, Parliament passed the Act of Settlement in 1701, choosing a successor to inherit the throne upon Anne’s death. The only seemingly good choice was the line of Sophia of Hanover, the youngest legitimate descendants of Charles I amongst the Stuarts. Crucially, they were Protestants. Boiling Queen Anne’s lace root is said to release the plant’s emollient properties, which is used internally for gastrointestinal ulcers and externally as a poultice on skin wounds. I’ve not found much evidence about how or why the plant works in this way other than anecdotal reports. However, I have seen several mentions of Queen Anne’s lace having antiseptic properties, which is likely due to its high volatile oil content, so this may be another reason it’s beneficial for these conditions. It’s even been said that Queen Anne’s lace was an herb used on soldier’s wounds during the American Civil War (Richey, 2010). In 1742, near the end of her life, Sarah released memoirs of her relationship with Queen Anne. Modern scholars claim that Churchill’s recollections were prejudiced, potentially as a form of revenge for her dismissal. Referring to Anne as a “weak and irresolute woman,” these memoirs initially giving historians a wrongful image of what Anne was like during her reign. 6. She was enthusiastic about political affairs To use Queen Anne’s lace seeds as a carminative, add a small number of seeds to your meal when cooking it, particularly meals that tend to upset your digestion. Not only will it give your food a mild pepper flavor, but it may help you from experiencing gastrointestinal upset afterward as well.

When using Queen Anne’s lace to prevent pregnancy, it is commonly suggested to use 1 teaspoon of Queen Anne’s lace seed in a small amount of water. This mixture should be drunk 8 hours after intercourse and repeated every 8 hours for a total of 3 times to prevent egg implantation and conception from occurring. Herbalists such as Robin Rose Bennet, Phyllis Light, Donna Eaton, and Lise Wolff have all reported success with clients looking to use Queen Anne’s lace (flowers, seeds, and sometimes both) to avoid pregnancy—both in tea and tincture form (Peters, 2014)! When looking at any plant’s wellness benefits, I like to first focus on the primary body systems the plant has an affinity for. When it comes to Queen Anne’s lace, these body systems are the digestive, urinary, circulatory, and endocrine systems.Endocrine Takeaway: Queen Anne’s lace creates an endocrine cascade that stimulates the thyroid, adrenal glands, and sex hormone production. Other Potential Uses of Queen Anne’s Lace In another happy coincidence, Anne's reign witnessed the rise of that perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea: the morning newspaper. The first British daily, The Daily Courant, was launched the year she came to power, while the celebrated upper-class gossip sheet, The Tatler, followed seven years later. What a delectable pairing it must have been, fantasized the historical writer Mrs. Oliphant, for the Tatler to be "served up with the foaming chocolate or fragrant tea at every breakfast in Mayfair."

Kumarasamy, Y., Nahar, L., Byres, M., Delazar, A., & Sarker, S. (2005). The assessment of biological activities associated with the major constituents of the methanol extract of ‘wild carrot’ ( Daucus carota ) seeds. Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy, 5 (1), 61-72. A paneled room, dated about 1740, containing furniture with the cabriole legs that are a hallmark of Queen Anne style. 1927. From Old Furniture, Volume I., edited by Lieut.-Col. E. F. Strange, C.B.E.Because of Queen Anne’s lace’s aromatics and stimulating properties, this plant may be useful as a diaphoretic to gently lower temperature when a fever is present. While there aren’t many documented sources citing Daucus carota being used this way, it’s energetic qualities and herbal actions suggest it could be useful in this manner. Note from HA: The information related to pregnancies, contraceptives, and abortifacients, above, is shared as an interesting historical fact and not a recommendation. We recommend working with a qualified health professional for guidance related to any of these matters. In The Favourite, nursing the queen's inflamed legs gives chambermaid Abigail the opportunity to inveigle her way into the royal bedchamber, much to the chagrin of her powerful rival, the duchess of Marlborough. The two women scheme ruthlessly for the queen's bed and favor, their lives as enjoined as the three legs of a tea table, and hostilities come to a boil when Abigail slips a drug into the duchess's teacup — or tea bowl. From as early as 1698, Queen Anne suffered severely from gout, a joint infection which physically strained her. Eventually, in 1713, it stopped her from walking altogether, from which point she used a wheelchair to get around. This as well as her many failed pregnancies and the death of her husband, brought about a life of suffering – physically and mentally. 4. She had two favourites

Peters, E. (2014). Wild carrot monograph. Retrieved from https://www.wildcurrentherbalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Daucus-carota-Monograph-FINAL-SMALL.pdf Not the queen's gout-afflicted limbs that are a focal point of this raunchy film, but the classic, S-curved, cabriole legs that are a hallmark of Queen Anne furniture. Immensely popular across England and the American colonies, this elegant furniture was a fixture in wealthy 18th-century parlors from London to Boston. Queen Anne and tea have a curious relationship, embellished with more than one ironic twist. Personally, Anne did little to promote tea. She liked it and drank it, of course, but her sweet tooth made her crave the other modish drink of the time, chocolate, which she savored privately in her bedchamber before taking a nap. She didn't share the same relationship with tea. But the connection between tea-drinking and Anne's reign has been widely commemorated in furniture, poetry, painting, journalism, satire and even slang. Why?With its stimulating diuretic action, Queen Anne’s lace has an overall drying energetic effect. The boiled leaf, flower, and root are stimulating to the kidneys. This is likely because Daucus carota stimulates the circulatory system. This increased blood flow naturally stimulates the kidneys, which, in turn, increases urine output. In my search for information on Queen Anne’s lace, I came across an account of well-respected Appalachian folk herbalist, Tommie Bass, using a strong Queen Anne’s lace infusion for cases of edema, and it was mentioned that it made a “bitter brew” (Richey, 2010) when used in this manner. There have been a few hints here and there about this plant being used as a mild hepatic herb and laxative, probably due to its bitter taste when heavily decocted. Herbalist Maude Grieve (1931/1971) mentions its traditional use for jaundice, and Emily Peters (2014) documents wild carrot’s bitter taste and bitter classification in traditional Chinese medicine. It was this stability that allowed England to become a major military and economic power and advance into the country it is today. 7. She played a role in unifying England and Scotland