fairmont empress, tea in the afternoon, victoria bc, helen siwak, folioyvr, bc

Royal China & a Crowned Legacy of Afternoon Tea in Victoria

At the legendary Fairmont Empress, Afternoon Tea unfolds as a two-hour ceremony shaped by history, royalty, and ritual. Overlooking Victoria’s Inner Harbour, this daily tradition has remained uninterrupted since the hotel first opened its doors in January 1908.

The origins of afternoon tea date back to England in 1840, when the seventh Duchess of Bedford sought a light refreshment between luncheon and a late dinner. What began as tea with bread, butter, and cake soon evolved into an elegant social gathering. By the late nineteenth century, it had become a fashionable affair defined by polished silver, fine linens, and exquisite porcelain — a standard the Empress would come to embody on Canada’s West Coast.

fairmont empress, tea in the afternoon, victoria bc, helen siwak, folioyvr, bc

Few tea services in the world are served on china with a royal provenance quite like this. In 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, later known as the Queen Mother, concluded their cross-Canada tour with a stay at the Empress. For a formal dinner hosted in the Empress Room, they selected a specific china pattern from England’s Booth factory in Stoke-on-Trent and had it shipped across the Atlantic for the occasion. Upon their departure, the royal couple gifted the complete collection to the hotel.

fairmont empress, tea in the afternoon, victoria bc, helen siwak, folioyvr, bc

The pieces were carefully stored to preserve them, re-emerging briefly during Princess Elizabeth’s 1951 visit — the future Queen Elizabeth II — before once again retreating from public view. Decades later, a serendipitous discovery in a Victoria antique shop led to renewed research, revealing that the original pattern was still in production. Since Victoria Day weekend in 1998, the faithfully reproduced Royal China Collection has graced every Afternoon Tea service. Each piece is created by layering fourteen lithographic transparencies, then hand-painted with 22-karat gold. The only alteration is a safer blue pigment, replacing the original lead-based hue.

fairmont empress, tea in the afternoon, victoria bc, helen siwak, folioyvr, bc

Upon these gilded plates arrive freshly baked scones with house-made strawberry jam from local berries, lavender from the rooftop garden, and delicately composed pastries and savouries. Ethically sourced teas complete the experience.

At the Fairmont Empress, tea is not simply poured. It is presented on a canvas of royal history, inviting guests to linger within a tradition that continues to define Victoria’s social elegance.

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Luxury Lifestyle Observer: Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Communications & Marketing Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at [email protected].