The Queen Is Launching Her Own Brand of Ketchup

Despite having the crown, living in palaces and being the literal Queen of England for the better half of a century, Elizabeth II hasn’t lost the common touch. For example, she loves a corgi. Who doesn’t? She likes to gamble, and has staffers dedicated to keeping up her racehorses. And, perhaps most relatable of all, she reportedly loves burgers. Yes, hamburgers. And to celebrate that love, the Queen is launching a brand of her own ketchup. 

Actually, there’s a little bit of a tradition of royals eating some stereotypically American sports stadium foods. Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously served hot dogs to the Queen’s parents, King George VIII and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, when they visited the president’s Hyde Park residence in the 1930s. It’s even cheekily remembered as the Hot Dog Summit of 1939. 

It’s a bit unusual for the Queen to market a product, but you can tell she’s put some pride in this one. The “Royal Estate” condiments line, according to the Sun—so called because it is produced at the Queen’s beloved Sandringham residence, using local Norfolk ingredients—features a tomato ketchup and a brown sauce, and will likely be sold at the Sandringham Estate Shop (though it has not been launched at the time of writing). And for those unfamiliar with a brown sauce, it’s akin to a steak seasoning and will be “packed with vinegar and spices.” The ketchup is marketed as “ideal for breakfast or any time of the day” and, according to People, is flavored with fruits like apple and date. 

Finally, some royal recognition of breakfast ketchup. But much ado is also being made of the price: Nearly $9 USD for a 10 oz. bottle (for reference, the classic glass bottle of Heinz Ketchup is 20 oz and usually costs less than $3). But still, this is some gourmet ketchup, and will almost certainly prove itself worth the price tag. 

Now the only question remaining is: What do you eat it with? A burger somehow doesn’t feel like enough of an occasion for the Queen’s royal ketchup.