There's A Very Good Reason Why The Royal Family Don't Eat Shellfish (2024)

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There's A Very Good Reason Why The Royal Family Don't Eat Shellfish? ›

And, though the most delectable cuisines prepared by renowned chefs are available at royals' disposal, it seems four items will rarely if ever make it to the menu. For example, members of the royal family avoid shellfish for risk of shellfish poisoning, which could impede their busy work schedules at home and abroad.

According to the BBC (via The Independent), the royals have made concerted efforts to avoid eating shellfish while dining out or visiting foreign countries, since it can carry a greater-than-normal risk of causing infection and illness. And that's putting it lightly.

The outlet reported that Queen Elizabeth II banned the ingredient because she doesn't like the taste or the resulting bad breath it sometimes causes. “We can never serve anything with garlic or too much onions," Darren McGrady, a royal chef at Buckingham Palace, told The Daily Express.

Seafood. The royals tend to avoid eating seafood and shellfish due to potential food poisoning concerns, but that's not to say that they don't break the rules occasionally.

Starches like pasta or potatoes

However, these starches were banned from the palace during normal times. As Elizabeth's chef Darren McGrady told The Telegraph, the monarch avoided these ingredients in order to keep fit. McGrady explained, "When she dines on her own, she's very disciplined. No starch is the rule.

Pizza is a firm favourite across the globe, but did you know the royal family love it too?

He states the reason for this is more to do with good health than personal taste. “Women's magazine report that she does not like shellfish or lobster,” the author wrote. “More a precaution against an upset stomach than personal preference.”

02/9Foie Gras

It's a delicacy consumed by many people across the world but is something that King Charles refuses to eat. This delicacy is nothing, but the enlarged liver of a duck or goose and has been banned in royal kitchens since 2008.

The news of his cancer diagnosis also put the spotlight on his lifestyle and one of its most noticeable traits is that the monarch does not have lunch. Gordon Rayner, former royal correspondent at The Telegraph, had earlier said that King Charles believes lunch is a “luxury” that interferes with his busy schedule.

Graham Tinsley MBE, former manager of the Welsh National Culinary Team, told Hello! magazine that the King doesn't like chocolate, coffee or garlic. The King also, apparently, won't eat biscuits that haven't already been pre-warmed to a certain temperature.

What is Prince Charles' favorite meal? ›

He occasionally goes for heartier meals like pheasant pie and risotto, and let's not forget about his love for a dram of Scotch whisky and a martini, but the King is a really big fan of eggs, with one of his favourite meals being cheesy baked eggs and coddled eggs, which he tends to have every morning, alongside some ...

He has previously stated that he is fish and meat-free for two days a week, and dairy-free one day a week, essentially making him a flexitarian. Flexitarianism is the practice of deliberately eating fewer animal products but not fully excluding them from your diet, and it's way more popular than you may think.

King Charles, who officially took the throne after his coronation ceremony in 2023, revealed one of his favorite meals to be something a little more unusual to those outside the United Kingdom: Pheasant crumble pie.

Harry and William love fast food, especially McDonald's

Former royal family personal chef Darren McGrady told Marie Claire, “I remember Princess [Diana] came into the kitchen one day and said, 'Cancel lunch for the boys I'm taking them out, we're going to McDonald's.

According to chef Darren McGrady, the monarch snack of choice was a croque monsieur. Traditionally this is made with Gruyere but as the queen was a great lover of Scotland, we'd be recommending Isle of Mull cheddar.

But not every meal the Royals eat is a fancy banquet and even the most famous members sometimes indulge in simple a simple fast-food meal. Harry and Meghan have famously developed a taste for a certain West Coast-only fast-food burger spot, while Prince William has an affinity for a particular chicken restaurant.

Another big reason we don't eat seafood is that we sell most of it to other countries. The UK, especially Scotland, has fantastic quality fish and shellfish, however, most of it is packaged and trucked over to Spain and France as soon as it is caught.

He won't eat pasta, shellfish, or potatoes in public

Sometimes life results in messy affairs — though we do not say that in reference to King Charles III and Queen Camilla's relationship history; that topic has been well covered.

Isn't the Queen allowed to show her emotions or cry in public? - Quora. Pretty much. Public displays of emotion and political opinions are simply not part of the monarch's role. They (the monarch) are annointed by God; it is a solemn and lonely role, but one with which Her Majesty takes extremely seriously.

"My heart is still racing. I've never got a royal autograph before. This is going to make everyone jealous." The prohibition against royal autographs is in place because there's a risk of royal signatures being copied or forged.