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feather dusters that looked like “dehydrated approached with fear by British drinkers,
Vegas feathers”.
however Rocos is adamant that drinking the
right kind of Tequila means no hangover, just
Everett rang his neighbour, Freddie Mercury a good time.
who came over so they could watch an So how did she go from television star to
episode of the Golden Girls. “We turned the Tequila campaigner and entrepreneur?
sound down and all started doing the
different characters voices.”
Following a period of feeling disenchanted
with the type of television work she was being
The group then planned to move onto the bar offered such as Celebrity Big Brother, which
and Diana was keen to join them however, she says had “the most horrible, unflattering
they first had to help to disguise her identity. overhead lighting”, she was looking for
The group hatched a plan to put Princess something she could do that would capture
Diana in boy drag, dressing her in a military the theatrics of her pre-reality television days.
jacket, tucking her hair up in a hat and giving
her a pair of aviator sunglasses to wear.
She began hosting Tequila Society dinner
parties as an excuse to get interesting people
“Diana said she’d stay just as long as it takes together to “enjoy tequila cocktails all made
to order a glass of with fresh ingredients so nobody felt ropy the
wine and go,” but next morning.” She loves the drama of a good
when they arrived party and believes that socialising and
t h e p l a c e w a s drinking go hand in hand.
packed. They went
in nudging each Soon afterwards she became President of the
other like school Tequila Society and went to Mexico to learn
k i d s . L u c k i l y , as much about her favourite drink as possible.
nobody recognised It was then that she discovered what was
Diana and most missing on the market: “a really wonderful,
people thought she divine tequila that was spectacular in flavour
was
just
a and quality but well priced. So I spent ten
“ b e a u t i f u l m a l e months in Mexico personally creating the
model.”
profile and the flavours with a master blender
to create Aqua Riva.”
She stayed in
disguise all
It is clear that Rocos is very knowledgeable
night and
about tequila and it’s refreshing to talk to a
they took her
celebrity about a product that they have
home in a
actually helped create. In a world where
taxi back to
celebs will attach their name to just about
Kensington
anything for a pay cheque, Rocos is a breath
Palace. The press never caught wind
of fresh air.
that Diana had been at a gay bar and
Rocos now calls this her “peach
Rocos is so committed to her tequila that
bellini day”.
she spends most of her time these days
giving demonstrations, teaching people
She maintains that the day would
how to make good, clean cocktails.
have never happened had it not been
for the peach bellinis and she is a
“I’m passionate about my
strong believer that drinking can be
product and there is nothing
used to bring people together. In
better than being on the shop
fact, she has recently published a
floor, with people showing them
book called The Power of Positive
how it all works,” she says. Her
Drinking.
enthusiasm is contagious and it’s
evident why she is the perfect
She is passionate about drinking the
ambassador for tequila.
right kind of cocktails and in 2012 she
launched her own brand of tequila, Aqua In Cleo’s world, it’s all about drinking and
Riva made from 100% agave. Drinking 100% drinking well. “You don’t have to feel terrible
agave tequila “is the only way to party”, the next day. Drinking is a great thing if you
explains Rocos, “because you do feel so much do it well.”
more wonderful the next morning than if
you’re drinking wine or spirits.”
T