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    1. Celebrity
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    Former Royal Chef Says One of Queen Elizabeth's Comfort Foods Was a "Fancy Version" of a "Parisian Bistro Favorite"

    The former monarch was very "disciplined" when it came to food.

    Amy Mackelden's avatar
    By Amy Mackelden
    Published 30 August 2025 In News

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    Queen Elizabeth wears a bubblegum pink suit and matching hat
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    As the monarch, Queen Elizabeth II had a team of diligent chefs serving her every whim. While the late Queen was known to favor foods from her childhood, such as "jam pennies," Elizabeth also had a penchant for one particular "Parisian bistro favorite," says a former royal chef.

    Darren McGrady previously worked as a royal chef for the Royal Family, and he became well-versed in the late Queen's likes and dislikes. Speaking to Sydney's KIIS 106.5FM, via the Daily Mail, McGrady claimed that the former monarch was very "disciplined" when it came to food. However, she reportedly adored eating croque monsieurs, which McGrady called a "fancy version" of a toasted cheese sandwich. As noted by Hello! magazine, a croque monsieur is usually made with "melted Gruyère, ham, and often with béchamel sauce."

    Queen Elizabeth wears a white and turquoise coat, a white hat adorned with embroidery, and white gloves, while eating a scone

    The former monarch was very "disciplined" when it came to food.

    (Image credit: Sharon Smith-Pool/Getty Images)

    Furthermore, Elizabeth reportedly loved "fish and chips coated with panko breadcrumbs instead of traditional batter," but hated "strong flavors like garlic and onion," according to McGrady (via the Daily Mail). The publication also noted, "If The Queen dislikes a dish, she leaves a message in her diary to ensure it is never served again."

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    Queen Elizabeth wears a turquoise suit and matching hat and watches a chef serve something with a large metal ladle

    Elizabeth reportedly loved "fish and chips coated with panko breadcrumbs."

    (Image credit: POOL/ Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images)

    As for why the former monarch's beloved sandwich has remained so popular, nutritionist Charlotte Faure Green told Hello! magazine, "A croque monsieur takes a simple ham and cheese toastie and puts it into a fur coat. You get crisp bread, savory ham, and melty cheese in every nibble, plus béchamel and extra melted cheese on top. There's a reason it has stood the test of time as a Parisian bistro favourite."

    While Queen Elizabeth was able to order any food she wished, it seems that she had a select number of favorite items she ate again and again.

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    Weekend Editor

    Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

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