Her Majesty the Queen has plenty of peculiarities and idiosyncrasies. There’s a specific way she takes her tea, like any true British citizen. Certain words ­— like “pregnant” and “abdicate” — cause her distress and should never be said in her presence. And there’s more. It turns out Queen Elizabeth has a specific way she likes to enjoy ice cubes.

Traditional ice cube trays may create rectangular cubes, but that’s not the preferred shape Her Majesty wishes to see in her cold drink. It turns out there’s a good reason for the queen to insist upon rounded cubes instead of traditional rectangles.

Queen Elizabeth despises the sound of clinking cubes

Some people have an aversion to certain sounds, like becoming irrationally angry listening to people chewing or slurping soup. It turns out this type of phobia is called misophonia. People suffering from this condition experience unreasonable emotions when hearing repetitive sounds.

And while we don’t know if Queen Elizabeth is formally diagnosed, her penchant for round cubes and the reasoning behind it sounds like a textbook case. The reason Her Majesty avoids classic cubes is because she hates the sound of clinking in her glass.

Guests at Buckingham Palace aren’t permitted to use loud ice cubes either

It’s not just Queen Elizabeth who refrains from using traditionally-shaped ice cubes at home — according to The Independent, the 93-year-old monarch doesn’t allow anyone to use anything besides round cubes in her presence. Her hatred for the clinking ice against the glass is that severe. No word on whether crushed ice is acceptable or not — if you’re ever in Her Majesty’s company, it might be best to avoid ice cubes altogether.

Unofficial royal biographer Brian Hoey, author of We Are Amused, made the claim that the queen despises ice clinking so much that her husband Prince Philip ordered a special ice machine that makes tiny balls of ice instead of larger spheres. But that rumor is so far unconfirmed.

Her Majesty enjoys all different kinds of beverages at home

Not every glass the queen uses requires ice cubes, obviously. Cups of hot tea, champagne, dry martinis, and wine are all blissfully ice cube free. But the queen’s favorite cocktail does call for those curiously rounded cubes.

Many royal fans have a hard time pronouncing Queen Elizabeth’s favorite cocktail, gin with Dubonnet. She prefers that drink served over round ice cubes.   

The queen has very specific tastes

It may sound strange to complain over rectangular shaped ice cubes that clink too much in the glass. But this is just one of many rules Her Majesty has concerning food. Some other interesting items the queen banned from the Palace are garlic, pasta, and shrimp. She does allow potatoes and rice, but only on special occasions and not as part of the everyday meal.

And if you do happen to be at a formal dinner with the queen, studiously avoiding clinking your round ice cubes too often and be sure to stop eating when Her Majesty does. This is a royal family formality that everyone must follow.