King Charles 'drowned a few sorrows' with a pint he pulled with Queen Camilla during a brewery tour, the day after England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina.
King's wry comment after England loss
Charles sipped an amber ale made by Hall & Woodhouse Badger Brewery in Blandford St Mary, Dorset, on the day after England captain Harry Kane and his teammates lost 2-1 to Argentina. Before tasting the 3.4% Fursty Ferret ale, the King said with a wry smile: 'Maybe it's a good day to drown a few sorrows.'
Brewery tour and anniversary
The King and Queen were taken on a tour of the brewery, which celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2024. They met brewing and chef apprentices and watched trainee cooks compete in a Master Chef-style competition. Founded in 1777 by Charles Hall, a Dorset farmer, the company now produces more than nine million pints of beer annually, employs over 1,500 people, and runs around 140 pubs across the south of England.
World Cup impact on business
During the visit, the King chatted to finance director Paul Barnett about the World Cup's impact on the business. Mr Barnett told the King: 'I'm quite relieved we're out of the football because we don't make so much money,' noting the brewery's pubs are food-led and do not show the matches.
