High, Low or Royal Tea
The origins of the afternoon tea or 'low tea' go back to the 1840s. At the time, dinner was served fashionably late in the evening. To refresh herself until the end of day meal, Anna, the seventh duchess of Bedford, would discreetly order tea, bread and butter, at around four o'clock. Soon Queen Victoria's lifelong friend invited other friends for convivial snacks to be enjoyed in her boudoir around 'low (coffee type) tables'.