What Do The British Royal Family Eat?

Perhaps this is the most secretive of all the royals discussions. After all, we’re all aware of the designers they prefer to wear, the places they like to vacation – information we all readily know. Yet, what they do behind closed doors when it comes to breakfast, lunch and supper…well, we all want the tea!

And so, in the name of research, Plate & Place, have gone behind royal doors, so to speak, to uncover the food the British royal family truly love to eat.

The Queen

When it comes to the classic, British afternoon tea we hear HM The Queen was a huge fan of tea sandwiches. These delicate little morsels (always consumed at the proper hour, aka tea-time) were presented with the crusts cut off, as is customary. Apparently, Her Majesty’s preferred filling of choice was always salmon and cream cheese.

In terms of her day to day eating habits, the Queen’s former Royal Chef, Darren McGrady, has said thar Her Majesty enjoyed a cup of Earl Grey tea and a simple bowl of cereal for breakfast. The cereal was always sealed in Tupperware in order to keep it fresh.

Chef McGrady also mentions that the Queen enjoyed Grilled Dover Sole with wilted spinach and courgettes. However, there was always a big food no-no when it came to Her Majesty’s daily diet – absolutely no garlic to be added to any dish. It’s clear to see the Queen kept a very regimented diet, and treats kept at a minimum, however, Mr McGrady also mentioned that Croque Monsieur with ham and Gruyere Cheese was one of the Queens’ more decadent indulgences.

King Charles

The eating habits of the newly crowned King is a fascinating subject for many, particularly when you are obsessed with food as much as we are at Plate & Place. We were delighted to hear that HM The King is a bit of a foodie, and one of his most beloved ingredients is the humble egg. He absolutely adores egg-based dishes, and loves nothing more than a simple, boiled egg.

However, for such a food lover, it may surprise you to know that King Charles never actually eats lunch, and has always skipped this midday meal. For such a busy royal, it’s incredible he gets through the amount of engagements he does without the need for a little lunchtime sustenance. He has said that he doesn’t want anything to interfere with his working day, which is why he is able to fit so much into his packed schedule.

When he does settle down to a good meal, he is reported to enjoy locally sourced lamb, risotto, fresh vegetables and fruit, and is also a fan of plant-based eating. And, according to his former Royal Chef, Darren McGrady, he rarely eats desserts after a meal and isn’t much of a sweet tooth.

Queen Camilla

We are huge fans of Queen Camilla here at Plate & Place, and even more of a fan of her surprising humble food ‘loves’. We hear that she enjoys nothing more than a simple plate of baked beans on toast (always Heinz). This classic British comfort food is a staple of our diet, and one that is a go-to for a quick and easy suppers. This is one of our favourite go-to meals when we’re in a hurry or can’t really be bothered to cook. To add a little extra to his humble meal, we suggest a sprinkle of mature, grated cheese and a dash of Worcestershire Sauce. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a go and let us know what you think.

Another classic dish is the perennially popular Fish and Chips in ‘paper’ which Queen Camilla is said to be a fan of. We wonder if she likes it with plenty of vinegar and mushy peas, too?

Other foodie favourites of Queen Camilla include Cheesy Baked Eggs for breakfast which follows her husband’s love of eggs.

As Queen Camilla and King Charles are huge fans of the outdoors, and both share a love of gardening, fresh organic vegetables are always on the menu. They are said to always have plenty of fresh courgettes, kale, and broccoli on the menu. Queen Camilla recently told You Magazine that her last supper would include her own grown asparagus with lots of butter.

The Princess of Wales

Our beloved Princess of Wales, or Kate Middleton, as she is fondly still referred to, has a busy life being a mother of three, as well as a packed schedule full of royal engagements; so, how does she keep her energy up? We have discovered that her excellent diet (which comes as no surprise) is the key to maintaining a busy, work-life balance.

We hear The Princess of Wales likes to start her day with a bowl of warm porridge, as the slow-release energy from the oats gives her the vital boost needed. Our tip is to add a sprinkle of granola, a pinch of cinnamon and a dab of honey to increase the flavour. Kate is also said to love a green smoothie, and enjoys a mix of blueberries, spinach, kale and spirulina.

For lunch, the Princess of Wales is a fan of fresh, organic salads, particularly the Mediterranean-style, Watermelon Salad, which combines the chunks of freshly chopped melon with feta cheese, onion, cucumber, and avocado.

It’s clear Kate enjoys a healthy lifestyle but we’re really pleased (and relived!) to hear that the family occasionally enjoys the odd take-away, including Indian and Chinese cuisine, as well as Pizza. Also, a former Royal Chef has mentioned that Kate’s favourite dessert is a classic Sticky Toffee Pudding. Great choice, we say!

The Prince of Wales

The heir to the throne has a real love of food, much like his wife, Kate. He is said to have wooed his wife-to-be in the early days while at St. Andrew’s University, over a classic Spaghetti Bolognese. We can’t say this is the most romantic food on the menu, but we like the fact that he tried. We’re therefore not surprised to hear that William has mentioned that Kate does most of the cooking for the family. For evening meals he is said to be a fan of steak (cooked medium-rare).

William also mentioned to Royal Correspondent, Katie Nicholl, that one of his favourite meals is a classic Roast Dinner. This Sunday lunch staple is a British intuition so it is no wonder it’s top of the Princess’s food list.

Princess Margaret

The Queen’s beloved sister, Princess Margaret, was known to enjoy the finer things in life when it came to food and drink. She was one of the most fascinating royals, and her life was indeed a more glamourous affair, without the pressure of being direct heir to the throne. She was therefore a lot more carefree and was always seen at the most exclusive parties all over London during the 1960’s.

In particular, she loved to dine at Wiltons in Mayfair which specialises in the finest game dishes as well as fish. She also loved to eat Chicken Pie with Lord Snowdon at a west-London restaurant that eventually changed its name to ‘Maggie Jones’ which was the alias Princess Margaret used when booking so as not to arouse any interest.

She also popped to nearby Quaglino’s where there was a table permanently closed off just for her and was nicknamed ‘The Royal Enclosure’. Apparently, she wasn’t too keen on Champagne and much preferred a simple gin and tonic or whisky and soda. Oh to be a fly on the wall at those dinner parties!

The Duke of Edinburgh

The Queen’s late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, was a constant by her side for 73 years. He was a much beloved figure in the UK and around the globe, and certainly one to make the papers with his often acerbic humour.

We were curious as to his food loves, and we hear that he often started the day with quite the breakfast – enjoying the classic British fry-up which would include sausage, bacon and eggs. He clearly had a love of rich food as was also said to be keen on the barbecue and would often cook up Venison while at their Scottish home, Balmoral.

Former Royal Chef, Darren McGrady, has said that the Duke also had a love of curry, and really enjoyed spicy food, although he rarely ate these dishes, and only when the Queen was away on engagements. And according to Chef, one of the Duke’s most beloved dishes was Salmon Coulibiac, which combines salmon, rice and egg, wrapped in flaky pastry. Consider that a new recipe for us to try at Plate & Place!

If there are further Royals you would like to know about, do get in touch with us via our Contact Page. We love to hear from our readers.