When picturing how Queen Elizabeth started off her royal morning, one might imagine a full English breakfast, Eggs Benedict or at the very least a hearty omelet. But according to former royal chef Darren McGrady, the late monarch—whose values were shaped by her World War II upbringing—preferred a surprisingly normal, no-fuss start to her day.
Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo, McGrady revealed that the late Queen "was very strict and disciplined" about meal times. "Contrary to popular belief, she never called for food at odd hours," he said. "They had set meals, and if they wanted something in between, there was always fruit or chocolates in their rooms."
The former royal chef continued that Queen Elizabeth's "breakfast was at 9 a.m., served in her room," and that she enjoyed a surprisingly average meal most days. "She’d help herself to cereal from a Tupperware container, especially Special K, even though there were 20 chefs available to cook anything," he shared.
The late Queen is seen drinking tea with Prince Philip in 1982.
Queen Elizabeth, pictured filming the 1969 Royal Family documentary, enjoyed a simple breakfast in her room most days.
However, Prince Philip went for more "adventurous breakfasts," per McGrady, who revealed that the late Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed foods "like deviled kidneys."
The former palace chef shared that the late Queen "was very frugal, likely due to her wartime upbringing," so everyday meals were far from extravagant. "On normal days, she was perfectly happy with comfort food, so we cooked meals like cottage pie," he explained.
As for Queen Elizabeth's favorite foods (other than Special K), "it always came back to indigenous produce—partridge or venison from Sandringham, grouse from Balmoral," McGrady shared. He added that the late Queen also "had a sweet tooth and loved dark chocolate, especially anything over 60 percent cocoa."
