Milly Gaines
The British royal family is known for its unique gastronomic lifestyle, with a host of strict protocols and traditions surrounding food and eating. While the family's meals are often characterised by bizarre magnificence, the individual members of the family have their own quirks, preferences, and personal touches. The royal family's diet is largely planned and prepared by their personal chefs, who cater to their specific likes and dislikes, although some members of the family, such as Prince William and Kate Middleton, have been known to cook for themselves.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Royal family members | Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry |
| Eating habits | Generally healthy, with a focus on fresh, local, and seasonal produce |
| Meal preferences | Game birds, fish, chocolate, tea, champagne, roast dinners, McDonald's |
| Dining etiquette | Formal dinners, specific tea and tableware protocols, menu books, no shellfish |
| Royal chefs | Darren McGrady, Carolyn Robb |
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What You'll Learn
The Queen's sweet tooth
The Queen's eating habits have been a topic of fascination for many, with the royal family's former personal chef, Darren McGrady, shedding some light on the subject. While the Queen is known to maintain a healthy diet, with a focus on fresh and organic ingredients, she also has a well-known sweet tooth.
Her Majesty's love for chocolate, especially chocolate mousse, is renowned. Dark chocolate, in particular, is said to be her favourite. This sweet treat is a common dessert choice for the Queen and her family, with plates coming back clean whenever mousse is on the menu. In addition to chocolate, the Queen is also fond of mangoes, a fruit she holds in high regard. Her affinity for mangoes is such that she is said to keep track of how many are stocked in the Buckingham Palace refrigerators. This love for mangoes was even reflected in the dish served at her celebratory luncheon following her ascension to the throne in 1953—a coronation chicken salad with mangoes and almonds.
While the Queen's sweet tooth may be legendary, it is important to note that she also maintains a balanced diet. Her meals are carefully planned, and she selects her desired dishes from a pre-offered selection in advance. This ensures that her meals are not only indulgent but also nutritious and well-rounded.
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Royal eating protocols
The British royal family is known for its unique gastronomic lifestyle and day-to-day eating quirks. While the royal family's diet may be perceived as luxurious and extravagant, it is also characterised by simplicity and a focus on healthy eating.
Food Choices and Preferences
The royal family's meals are meticulously planned, with an emphasis on fresh, local, and seasonal produce. The Queen, in particular, is known for her vegetable-heavy diet, often accompanied by simply grilled meat. She is also a self-proclaimed chocolate lover, especially dark chocolate, and enjoys chocolate mousse. Additionally, the Queen is partial to mangoes and is known to indulge in a glass of champagne with her meals.
The royal family's meals are typically prepared by personal chefs, who cater to their specific tastes and dietary preferences. Former royal chef Darren McGrady revealed that the royals are generally a healthy bunch, with Prince Charles being described as "organic before organic was even invented."
Dining Etiquette
The royal family adheres to strict dining protocols, especially during formal engagements. When dining, royals are expected to fold their napkins in half and use the inside of the fold to wipe their faces, preventing stains on their elegant clothing. At the dining table, the royals are known to use bone china cups for their tea, holding the teacups with their forefinger and thumb against the top of the handle.
Dining at Balmoral
Balmoral Castle, the royal family's Scottish holiday home, is where they are said to truly relax and let their hair down. While dinners at Balmoral may be likened to "Downton Abbey" levels of formality, with the family dressed in ball gowns and fine china laid out, the Queen has been known to eat fruit from a plastic Tupperware container during her stay.
Royal Treatment
The Queen enjoys a level of royal treatment when it comes to her meals. She is known to select her meals from a menu book sent to her in advance, and her meals are planned three or more days ahead of time. The Queen's meals are carefully tailored to her preferences, and she is not a fan of garlic, rice, or potatoes.
Royal Timekeeping
The royal family has its own unique way of keeping time during mealtimes. To ensure Queen Elizabeth's timely arrival at family dinners, the rest of the family would often lie about the dinner schedule, a clever trick to keep her punctual.
These insights into the royal eating protocols showcase the unique and fascinating dining world of the British royal family, blending grandeur with simplicity and healthy choices.
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The Royals' favourite foods
The eating habits of the British royal family have always been a subject of fascination. Former royal chef Darren McGrady, who worked for the royal family between 1982 and 1993, has revealed some of the secrets of the royal family's diet.
Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen was known to prefer a simple, healthy diet of grilled meat and vegetables, with fish and game such as pheasant or venison being particular favourites. She was also fond of chocolate, especially chocolate mousse, and was known to enjoy a glass of champagne with lunch, dinner, and at the end of the evening. When it came to afternoon tea, the Queen liked to have two types of sandwiches with the crusts cut off, with fillings such as egg mayonnaise, smoked salmon, tuna, cucumber, or ham and mustard. She also enjoyed scones, jam pennies (small round sandwiches with raspberry jam), and cake.
Prince Philip
Prince Philip was known to enjoy larger portions and grilled food. He also had a penchant for salmon and strawberries picked by the royal family.
Prince Charles
Prince Charles is known for his preference for organic food and his particular way of drinking tea. He likes his tea made with loose tea leaves, with the water heated to specific temperatures depending on the type of tea. He also adds organic honey straight to the teapot.
Princess Diana and Princes William and Harry
According to McGrady, Princess Diana, and Princes William and Harry had more "common" palates. They enjoyed American fast food, with Princess Diana sometimes taking her sons to McDonald's.
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Royal dining quirks
The British royal family is known for its unique gastronomic lifestyle, with strict protocols around eating and food. Here are some quirks and insights into the dining habits of the royal family.
The royal family is known to be health-conscious, with both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip adhering to healthy eating habits. Prince Charles is said to have been "organic before organic was even invented". He is particular about his tea, which must be made with loose tea leaves in a teapot, with a specific ratio of one teaspoon of leaves per cup of tea, plus one for the pot. For green tea, the water temperature should be 70°C, while Earl Grey should be prepared at 100°C. He also adds organic honey straight to the teapot and insists on a teaspoon under the handle of each cup.
The Queen is known for her love of chocolate, especially dark chocolate, and chocolate mousse. She also has a penchant for mangoes and is said to keep track of how many are in the Buckingham Palace refrigerators at any given time. She enjoys a simple dinner of meat with vegetables and always eats her meat well-done. She is not a fan of garlic, rice, or potatoes, and shellfish is never served at home due to the risk of food poisoning. The Queen also enjoys a glass of champagne with lunch, dinner, and at the end of the evening, favouring brands like Bollinger and Krug.
The royal family typically dines formally, with dressy ball gowns and fine china. At their Scottish holiday home, Balmoral, they are known to be more relaxed, with Prince Philip even grilling outdoors. The family has a unique way of holding their teacups, with the forefinger and thumb against the top of the handle, and the middle finger supporting the base. When dining, they fold their napkins in half and use the inside of the fold to wipe their faces, preventing stains on their clothes.
The Queen is known to plan her meals in advance, selecting her desired dishes from a menu book sent to her by the kitchen. The meals are then prepared and served to her, with the kitchen staff cleaning up afterward. This practice is common among the royal family, who typically employ personal chefs to prepare and serve their meals across their various homes and estates.
Some other interesting dining quirks include the family lying about the dinner schedule to ensure Queen Elizabeth arrives at a reasonable time, as she is known to be consistently late. Additionally, when dining formally, the number of guests allowed to sit at the table is determined by the Queen.
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The Royals' chefs
The Royal Family's chefs have quite a lot to contend with when it comes to keeping the monarchy happy and healthy. It is a well-known tradition for members of the Royal Family to keep their own personal chefs, who will follow them to each of their homes and estates and be in charge of preparing and serving their meals.
Darren McGrady, a former chef for the Royal Family, has revealed some of the secrets of the British Royal Family's eating habits. McGrady worked for the Windsors as their personal chef between 1982 and 1993 and has shared some interesting insights. For example, the Queen would always select her meals from a pre-offered selection in a menu book that was sent to her in advance. The book would come back to the kitchen, and the chefs would prepare her chosen dishes. The Queen's menus are planned three or more days in advance, and she sticks to them religiously.
McGrady also revealed that the Queen was a stickler for healthy eating and was particularly fond of chocolate, especially chocolate mousse. She also enjoyed mangoes and knew exactly how many were being kept in the fridges at Buckingham Palace. The Queen's diet consisted mostly of fresh, local, and seasonal produce with simply grilled meat. She was not a fan of garlic, rice, or potatoes and always ate her meat well-done.
The Royal Family also has some unique dining quirks, such as the way they hold their teacups and the fact that they are not allowed to drink tap water. Prince Charles, for instance, likes his tea made with loose tea leaves in a teapot, with one teaspoon of leaves per cup of tea, plus one for the pot. He also prefers his cups arranged just so, with a teaspoon under the handle.
At Balmoral, their Scottish holiday home, the Royal Family is said to truly relax and let their hair down. Prince Philip would often grill and discuss the food with the chefs. The typical dinner at Balmoral would be a formal affair, with the family dressed in ball gowns, sitting at the table like a "Downton Abbey" dinner.
Overall, the Royal Family's chefs have the important task of ensuring the monarchy maintains a healthy and balanced diet while also catering to their unique preferences and quirks.
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Frequently asked questions
The Royal Family is known to have a healthy diet, with a focus on fresh, local, and seasonal produce. They are also known to enjoy chocolate, with the Queen having a particular liking for chocolate mousse.
The Queen is known to enjoy a vegetable-heavy diet with simply grilled meat. She is also fond of fish and game, such as pheasant or venison, and her favourite meal is said to be Dover sole with spinach and zucchini. She also enjoys a traditional roast dinner with Yorkshire puddings on Sundays.
The Royals are not allowed to drink tap water, and shellfish is typically avoided to prevent food poisoning. They also follow certain protocols when it comes to dining, such as how to hold a teacup and how to signal that they are finished eating.
Yes, it is common for members of the Royal Family to have their own personal chefs who travel with them and prepare their meals. However, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their children do not currently have a royal chef, and Kate handles most of the cooking herself.
The Royal Family follows certain traditions, such as sending a “menu book” to the Queen for her to select her desired meals in advance. They also dress up in ball gowns and tuxedos for formal dinners at their Scottish holiday home, Balmoral, and a bagpipe player would walk around the table after the meal.
