Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch of the UK, was laid to rest at Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel, after being in the public spotlight for 10 days of national mourning. While the world mourns the death of the Queen, the UK and 14 other Commonwealth realms gained a new King in Charles Philip Arthur George, as he acceded to the throne on September 8, upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. While much has been written about the anecdotes, habits, likes and dislikes of the Queen, little is known about King Charles III.
There are rumours in abundance about his habits when he was the Prince of Wales - from ironed night suits to shoelaces. Nevertheless, we are stuck with just one thing - his particularity about food. Some say he carries his own breakfast everywhere he goes, while others suggest he likes his egg to be just perfect for breakfast. Whatever the case be, we have a hint that he’s a foodie. At least that’s what former chef to Queen Elizabeth II, Darren McGrady had revealed. So, we did a little research and dug out some foodie secrets about the new King.
1. Seasoned and Organic Food
King Charles’ overall view on food is that it should be in season and organic. According to Darren, Charles was into organic farming even before it was even invented, over 30 years ago. He also revealed that the former Prince of Wales only ate what was in season and in the garden. Former royal chef Carolyn Webb said in an interview “In asparagus season, I might serve it three or four times a week. You wouldn't dare serve asparagus or strawberries in December".
2. High Fibre Breakfast
Charles’ breakfast has always been a healthy affair. It would typically be fresh fruit, muesli or some kind or other whole grain mixed with seeds steeped in fruit juice, and tea. As for the famous breakfast box that he carried with him, former Royal Chef Graham Newbould, once a chef on the Royal Yacht Britannia, said that the box would generally contain about six types of honey, muesli, and "anything that's a bit special that he is a bit fussy about". Eggs usually weren't a part of his breakfast except on weekends, and he ate them only later in the day.
3. Lunch Does Not Exist
Every source, right from former royal chefs to Charles’ website, reveals one thing - he does not eat lunch. Now that he is the king, things may change, but when he was the Prince of Wales, he used to skip lunch altogether unless it was part of the duty of the day. When Charles turned 70, his website revealed a list of 70 facts about the then prince, and one of them was simply, "The Prince does not eat lunch".
4. Eggs Are A Serious Business
No, Charles did not have the kitchen to prepare seven eggs that he would choose from for the perfect 3- or 4-minute egg. However, Charles' formal personal chef confirmed that they needed to boil for exactly four minutes.
5. Dinner Is Important
While Charles skipped his lunch, his dinner was sure to be a proper meal. Wild mushrooms from Balmoral served alongside seared lamb made up for his most favourite meal. As for dessert, Charles isn’t really fond of it.