The Royal Family traditionally enjoys a set, unchanging Christmas lunch at Sandringham featuring roast turkey with sage and onion stuffing, mashed/roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, and gravy, according to former chef Darren McGrady. The meal often includes Christmas pudding with brandy sauce.
The British Royal Family avoids the word "toilet," preferring "loo" or "lavatory," often due to the word's French origins, with "lavatory" being more formal and "loo" common in general conversation, while older terms like "close stool" were used historically for portable commodes. They also use other refined terms like "scent" for perfume and "helping" for food portions, avoiding more common, "working-class" words.
It's said that pheasant and venison were two of her favourite meats to enjoy at dinner time. Of course, a traditional Roast Dinner was never far from the family table on a Sunday, and it's said that Sunday Lunch was one of Her Majesty's favourite dishes. We certainly agree with her there!
In 1840, Queen Victoria's Christmas meal included 35 unique dishes. This included: boiled turkey, turtle soup, roast swan à l'anglaise, iced knuckle of veal and hare curry! Not wanting any food to go to waste, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert cleverly served leftovers at their New Year's Day feast.
The simple offering is also beloved by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Royal expert and biographer Katie Nicholl discussed the Prince of Wales's meal of choice, writing in Vanity Fair, "In the evenings [Kate] indulges her hobby of cooking William's favorite supper, roast chicken."
Royal Tradition: THIS Is What The Queen Eats Every Year At Christmas | ROYAL FLAIR
What was Lady Diana's favourite food?
Barley (or whatever grain you have) stuffed peppers. This was princess Diana's favorite meal, according to her chef. Bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, barley, chickpeas, garlic, onions, tomatoes, vegan cheese, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, vegetable broth.
Breakfast. Queen Elizabeth prefered to keep it simple when it came to breakfast. A bowl of Special K with some assorted fruits was apparently her go-to meal to get the day started the right way. On special occasions, she allegedly treated herself to some scrambled eggs and smoked salmon if she felt like it!
Christmas dinner as we know it today started to appear in Tudor times – they started off the tradition of eating turkey and mince pies! In fact King Henry VIII was one of the first people to turkey as part of his Christmas dinner. Rich families might have enjoyed impressive Christmas pies.
You'd think Queen Elizabeth would prefer a dainty cucumber sandwich to nibble on with a cup of tea. But her actual favorite sandwich was a real treat. According to former royal chef Darren McGrady, the Queen loved a croque monsieur! This simple but indulgent sandwich is a mainstay at cafés around France.
In the book Bowles says Charles and Camilla eat 'simple, healthy and resolutely seasonal food', made by royal chef Mark Flanagan. The royal pantry is filled with produce grown on the royal estates, including 'game, beef and lamb' plus fruit and vegetables like 'peas, strawberries, raspberries and chard'.
Fruit cake is loved by British royalty. When Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840, her wedding cake was a huge fruit cake. More recently, King Charles, then Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer had fruit cake at their wedding in 1981.
Fancy words for toilet include lavatory, water closet (WC), convenience, restroom, and powder room, while more formal or archaic terms are privy, latrine, or commode, with regional favorites like loo (UK) or comfort room (Philippines).
The royals wouldn't kick back on the sofa in a 'lounge' or even a 'living room. ' Instead, they'd retire to a 'sitting room' or a 'drawing room. ' Sofa, as it happens, is the appropriately term for a 'settee' or 'couch. '
Kate and Prince William eat breakfast separately on Christmas Day due to a long-standing royal tradition where the men have a hearty breakfast downstairs while the women eat lighter meals in their rooms to allow more time for hair and makeup before the heavily photographed church service, a custom revealed by former royal chef Darren McGrady, though they dine together for other meals.
This, of course, included French food, which had not, at that time, gained its worldwide reputation for excellence. Anne is known to have enjoyed fresh strawberries and cherries. In June 1531, she received the latter as a gift from a servant of the Mayor of London.
The late Queen, when dining privately, preferred to avoid starchy foods - breads, potatoes, pasta and rice. Often, she'd opt for something lighter like grilled fish and some vegetables. King Charles has banned the royal kitchens from serving the French delicacy foie gras, due to ethical concerns.
She favored "sensible exercise" over rigorous workouts and loved spending time in nature. The Queen liked simple, healthy meals, but also enjoyed a daily gin and ate dark chocolate.
Famously boasting that she only took one bath per month, Queen Elizabeth I was not exactly the model of good hygiene that her father had been. In fact, not only was Elizabeth adverse to bathing, but also, it appears, dental hygiene.
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, announced in March 2024 that she was diagnosed with cancer after undergoing abdominal surgery in January of that year; tests revealed the presence of cancer, leading her to begin preventative chemotherapy, which she completed in the summer of 2024, and she has since been focusing on recovery and gradually returning to public duties, though the specific type and stage of cancer remain private.
What did Harry say to William when Kate walked down the aisle?
As Kate Middleton walked down the aisle at her wedding to Prince William, Prince Harry leaned over and whispered to his brother, "Right, she is here now. Well, she looks beautiful, I can tell you that," according to royal author Marcia Moody. Harry then looked back at Kate, smiled, and shared his observation with William, who later whispered to Kate, "You look beautiful," as she arrived at the altar.
