Kids can be famously picky eaters, but when you're dining with a British monarch, there's a whole set of rules and restrictions. According to former royal chef Darren McGrady, Queen Elizabeth in particular was "very traditional" about mealtimes, especially at Christmas.
Speaking on behalf of Smooth Spins Casino, McGrady said that Christmas on the Sandringham estate was run like a "military operation." When asked if Prince Harry and Prince William had any favorite Christmas foods they asked for, McGrady said the boys weren't given the option for special dishes.
"William and Harry were young when I was there and they didn’t get to choose [what they ate for Christmas]," McGrady shared. He explained there were three different turkeys prepared on Christmas Day, with two "for the royal dining room" and another for "the younger royals."
Prince William and Prince Harry are pictured on Christmas Day 1997.
He continued that Harry, William and the other royal children ate a "traditional Sunday roast, which was the turkey that everyone had on Christmas Day in the U.K." But when it came to dessert, McGrady admitted there was one dish the boys weren't a fan of eating.
"We did send up ice creams to them because they weren’t big mince pie eaters," the chef shared.
While Prince William and Prince Harry did get at least one small accommodation, other guests were out of luck. When asked if different members of the Royal Family had favorite dishes he was asked to prepare, the former palace chef replied, "Absolutely not!"
Prince Harry is seen dressed as a shepherd for his school nativity play in 1988.
"That goes for every meal that you ate with The Queen [Elizabeth]," he added. "You’re dining with Her Majesty the monarch, so whatever she chooses, that's what you eat. If you don’t like that, you get a McDonald’s on the way home!"
Queen Elizabeth's strict menus would not accommodate special dietary restrictions, according to McGrady. "You wouldn’t ask for a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free menu or anything like that," he said. "When The Queen was there, it was all very traditional.”
When it came to Christmas, the chef—who now lives in Texas and runs a private catering company—said there were "no restrictions" outside of the "same old rules." He explained, "We didn't do garlic because The Queen found it antisocial, or heavy onions for the same reason."
