Former Royal Chef Shares the “Most Adventurous” Eater in the Family and the One Drink The King and Queen Consider a “No-Go”

Visen Anenden says that one royal is "more open minded" when it comes to new cuisine.

King Charles and Queen Camilla toasting with winte
(Image credit: Getty Images)

As the former head chef to King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, Visen Anenden knows the ins and outs of the Royal Family’s sometimes peculiar eating habits. Anenden, who worked for The King for just under a decade, says that while Charles is heavily into seasonal and organic foods, his wife is more willing to try new dishes than the rest of the family.

When asked who the most adventurous eater was out of the Royal Family, the former palace employee shares that “Charles is adventurous in terms of British, Italian and Spanish—all very European foods. But when it came to trying different things, I would say Camilla was more open minded.”

Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Online, Anenden says that Queen Camilla “was quite open when it came to food,” especially when traveling abroad, but that The King also tried regional specialties. “On tour, they would be happy to try the local dishes that were cooked by a local chef, who was guided by us,” Anenden says.

Latest Videos FromMarie Claire

Queen Camilla and King Charles laughing while pulling pints at a pub

The King and Queen got the giggles while pulling pints at a bar in Dorset, England last month.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Although he says that King Charles is “not at all” a fan of spicy food, and neither is Camilla, they both like kedgeree, a rice dish featuring fish, eggs and curry powder. “I used to make it how my gran used to make it for me,” Anenden shares.

Although King Charles doesn’t like spicy food, Anenden says the monarch was always courteous of local customs.

“I always remember when we went to India, and one of the chefs in the hotels wanted to cook for him,” he shares. “Charles was really open-minded about it and let him cook for them. He had Indian food there, tasted it, and thanked the chef. He was willing to accommodate, which is quite amazing.”

However, one thing both Charles and Camilla avoid is carbonated beverages. When asked if they ever indulge in fizzy drinks, Anenden says, “No, never! It was a no-go. Only the staff had fizzy drinks, but for them, no way.”

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.