The Royal Family’s food preferences have been well documented. In particular, Queen Elizabeth II had certain likes and dislikes when it came to food. Now, a former royal chef who worked with the late monarch for more than a decade has reflected on Elizabeth’s restraint regarding dessert.
Speaking to Heart Bingo, former royal chef Darren McGrady, who also worked with Princess Diana, explained, “The late Queen could have any food she wanted, but she loved to eat seasonally—and it’s the same with Charles now.”
McGrady continued, “The Balmoral gardens were incredible, still are today. They produce most of the food to be self-contained for the family for the 8 weeks they’re in residence in Balmoral. The late Queen would have whatever was in the garden, whatever was available.”
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Describing the main item Queen Elizabeth would order again and again, McGrady told the outlet, “She was happy to have strawberries 4 or 5 days a week if they were from the Balmoral gardens and they were in season.” He continued, “If any chef dared to put strawberries on the menu in winter, it wouldn’t have gone down well. We definitely weren’t allowed to do that at all. But during the summer, we could do as many as we wanted. The late Queen and the rest of the Royal Family loved them.”
“The late Queen could have any food she wanted, but she loved to eat seasonally.”
(Image credit: Sharon Smith-Pool/Getty Images)
McGrady also prepared food for the Royal Family’s guests at Balmoral. During his interview with Heart Bingo, the former royal employee said that when members of the Royal Family were “entertaining at Balmoral” throughout the summer, they could easily invite “14 to 20 guests” for a meal.
“They would start off with a first course, then they would have a main course with a salad alongside in a kidney-shaped dish,” the chef revealed. “Then they would have pudding. Some people call it dessert, and it’s not dessert. Whether you’re having an Eton Mess or a sticky toffee pudding, it’s all pudding.”
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Dessert would consist of fruit, with McGrady sharing that, after meals in Balmoral, the royals would eat “raspberries, blackcurrents, blackberries, redcurrents, and gooseberries—all grown on the estate.” While the late Queen could have ordered just about any item, she appears to have been a creature of habit.
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Queen Elizabeth II
