It's hard to imagine being a full-grown adult who has to adhere to rules about food that aren't related to a health issue, but that was once the case for members of the British royal family — who were traditionally not allowed to eat a variety of foods out of an abundance of caution for their health and safety. These days, the royals seem to routinely break the rules, but that doesn't mean they don't have some odd quirks when it comes to food. Some of their eating habits are a necessity of the royal lifestyle, and others are mere preferences. Either way, it's all strangely interesting.
To be honest, though, the royals' eating habits are surprisingly similar to those of an average westerner. They really are much more like us than it would seem! (Well, sometimes.) Despite their access to any food or drink they could possibly want whenever they want it, many members of the royal family prefer to chow down on some simple and accessible dishes and flavors (think pizza and fast food). And even though they may not exactly eat like the rest of us all the time, we totally relate to some of their habits (spoiler alert: Queen Elizabeth's may be the strangest) when it comes to food. Keep reading to learn some interesting details about the eating habits of the British royals, from Prince Charles to Princess Charlotte.
Ol' McDonald's
It's hard to say whether they've grown out of their taste for it as adults, but according to a former royal chef, as boys, Prince William and Prince Harry were quite fond of McDonald's fast food. "I remember the Princess [Diana] came into the kitchen one day and said, 'Cancel lunch for the boys I'm taking them out, we're going to McDonald's. And I said, 'Oh my god your royal highness, I can do that, I can do burgers.' And she said, 'No, it's the toy they want,'" former royal chef Darren McGrady told Marie Claire.
Bunless Burgers
Being nearly a century old, Queen Elizabeth tends to abide by some stuffy rules when it comes to food. She apparently will only eat a burger without the bun — not because she's cutting carbs, but because in keeping with proper etiquette. The Queen will only eat food with a knife and fork, unless it's afternoon tea.
Comfort Food
Most of us know that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry enjoy a good roast chicken — it's the meal they were preparing the night Harry proposed — but at least for Harry and his older brother, Prince William, it seems the love of a good roast goes way back to childhood. "[They] both love roasted chicken," Chef Darren told Us Weekly.
"[They also] love roast potatoes and potatoes that you bite into and all that fat runs down your chin," the chef recalled. "Not healthy at all, but so good."
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Fat-Free Food
Sadly, Chef Darren has also said he would prepare fat-free versions of the same meals everyone else was eating for Princess Diana — who battled with bulimia — so no one would know that she was dieting.
Princess Diana Was Not a Cook
Despite how motherly she seemed, Princess Diana wasn't such a good cook, and didn't enjoy cooking. She grew up an aristocrat, so it's likely she was raised to expect to have someone to cook for her. Chef Darren said she was an "awful cook," and once almost set fire to the palace kitchen.
Formal Dinners
Formal dinners aren't just for formal occasions in the palace. Members of the royal family dress for dinner on a regular basis. "They'd come down in dressy ball gowns, and sit at the table — like a Downton Abbey dinner. All the fine china was brought out," Chef Darren told MarieClaire.com.
Delivery, Please
The younger royals are decidedly more casual, though. The Duke of Cambridge has been know to use the food delivery app Uber Eats. We're sure he does it more frequently, but back in July, it was reported that Wills ordered curry to be delivered to the palace while filming an episode of That Peter Crouch Podcast.
Not Into Organic
The Queen's husband, Prince Philip, doesn't buy into the whole "organic" thing. Chef Darren has explained that Prince Charles would purchase organic foods, but his father basically thinks it's hogwash, once saying, "Oh, bloody organic!" when he spotted it in the kitchen before simply walking out of the room.
Practical Eats
Proving her penchant for practicality, it's been said that Kate Middleton feeds her three children the same breakfast most days: cereal and apples. It may not be the tastiest — or most exciting breakfast — but it definitely works for a busy family on the go, like the Cambridges.
Dinner Swap
Prince Philip may have been born a royal, but that doesn't change the fact that he prefers simple, hearty food. Chef Darren recalls a time when the prince was in the kitchen and noticed that the staff would be served rougher, but larger cuts of meat for dinner that night. He opted to switch his dainty, more luxurious cut out for what the staff was eating.
Beetroot Baby
Earlier this year, the Duchess of Cambridge revealed to a trainee at the LEYF Early Years Chef Academy that her children enjoy eating beetroot. "Mine absolutely love it — it's one of those things, until you try it, you don't know," she said. She also told famed baker Mary Berry that little Prince Louis in particular loves beetroot on the A Berry Royal Christmas special the previous year.
Well Done
In a YouTube video, during which he's preparing Gaelic steak, Chef Darren explains that the Queen prefers to eat her steak cooked well done. While that's generally considered a faux pas in the food world, we can imagine no one denies the Queen her preference.
Tuppeware Time
While proper etiquette is always at the forefront for Queen Elizabeth, when on her own, she does loosen up a bit. She's been known to eat fruit or cereal directly out of Tupperware when she's vacationing at her home in Balmoral, Scotland.
Sweet Tooth
During his steak demonstration video, Chef Darren also says that the Queen enjoys small slices of a chocolate cake that's recipe dates all the way back to Queen Victoria's time. Kate, on the other hand, really enjoys sticky toffee pudding, a traditional British dessert.
Meals From a Menu
Chef Darren has also revealed that the Queen likes to eat the same things again and again, and isn't much of an adventurous eater — so the kitchen staff sends her a menu of meals to choose from. She vetoes things she doesn't like, and requests those she does.
Competent in the Kitchen
While the older royals may not exactly have much know-how in the kitchen, William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan all enjoy cooking and know their way around the kitchen. On that Mary Berry Christmas special, Kate even mentioned that Will sometimes cooks for her, and that he's especially good at breakfast.
It's a 'No' to Garlic
Queen Elizabeth is not a fan of garlic — so much so, that the kitchen staff makes separate portions for her husband, Prince Philip, because he does enjoy the flavor of the spicy bulb that's often used to give a variety of foods a bit of kick. Garlic is considered healthy, so we say kudos to Prince Philip for getting in his garlic, despite his wife's distaste for it.
Cake Hack
And finally, in probably the most hilarious royal food moment, the Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, appeared to cut cake for the first time in 2019, at a community center event. We suppose royalty doesn't need to cut their own cakes — or even see them being cut. Prince Edward's technique looks a lot more like what we'd see from a hunter cleaning a deer, than literally anyone cutting a cake. Hunting is probably a bit more in his wheelhouse.
