下午茶的來歷：

　　In 1662, King Charles II of England married the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza who brought with her, as part of her dowry, a small chest of tea. As the new queen, Catherine began the serving of tea to her friends at court.

　　1662年，英格蘭國王查理二世迎娶了葡萄牙布拉干薩王朝的凱瑟琳公主。公主隨嫁妝帶來了一小箱茶葉。當上了皇后的凱瑟琳開始在宮廷中以茶待客。

　　Although there is mention of "five o'clock tea" in France in the 17th century, the credit for the invention of "Afternoon Tea" is given to Anna Russell, duchess of Bedford who, during the long gap between an early breakfast and very late dinner, experienced what she called "a sinking feeling" at about 4 or 5 in the afternoon. She asked her maid to bring her a pot of tea, a little bread and butter and cake in her room. She found this arrangement so agreeeable that she began asking her friends to join her.

　　盡管在17世紀的法國就有“五時茶”的說法，但“下午茶”的發明還是要歸功于貝德福德公爵夫人安娜•拉塞爾。從一大早的早餐到很晚才進的晚餐之間有很長一段時間，而公爵夫人常常在下午四五點鐘左右會有“一種虛脫感”。她命女仆送一壺茶、一點兒黃油面包和蛋糕到她房間里去。她發現這一餐吃得很愜意，于是開始邀請她的朋友們一起來享用。

來源:可可英語 http://www.ccdyzl.cn/read/201108/149245.shtml