While being a Royal Family member may seem nothing but glam on the surface, there are some rather pesky rules that Prince William, Kate Middleton, King Charles and co. must adhere to (something that anyone who has ever watched The Crown will likely already know!).
But did you also know that some of those rules revolve around food? Namely, that there are certain things the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the rest of the clan, are unable to eat – at least not in public. Let's take a deep-dive, shall we?
No shellfish
Particular foods, such as shellfish (goodbye prawns, fare thee well crab), have apparently been deemed 'too risky' to consume as a royal while out and about, according to former palace chef Darren McGrady. Make sense, given they carry a higher risk of food poisoning.
The Queen wasn't a pasta fan
McGrady also shared that pasta was forbidden (albeit only at dinner time) by the late Queen Elizabeth II too, as she wasn't a fan of carbs in the evening. "When she dines on her own she's very disciplined. No starch is the rule. No potatoes, rice or pasta for dinner. Just usually something like grilled sole with vegetables and salad," he said while speaking to The Telegraph a few years back.
Luckily that rule seemed to have only applied to Her Majesty herself while flying solo – which is a good job, as it's previously been reported that a certain future King, Prince George, has a rather large penchant for spaghetti carbonara.
The King hates foie gras
Another bit of grub that's off the menu is said to be foie gras (which, according to French law, is defined as the liver of a duck or goose fattened by force – ick!). Despite having a very fancy-sounding name, King Charles is believed to have put his foot down back in 2008 and made it a no-go, due to animal welfare concerns.
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Goodbye, garlic
Garlic is out of the question too, as confirmed by Charles' wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, when she made a cameo on Masterchef Australia. After being asked if there's anything notably absent from the Royal dining table, she replied, "I hate to say this, but garlic. Garlic is a no-no."
All duly noted, ma'am.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
