Foods That The Queen Prohibits The Royal Family From Eating

There’s something to be said for living as if you’re a king or queen. You’ve got your castles, your killer costumes (greenscreen or otherwise), and all the swans that come with the job. Who wouldn’t want to live such a life? That is the reality for Queen Elizabeth, her children, grandkids, and great-grandchildren in the United Kingdom. Of course, all royals have it well, but these individuals clearly have it the best.

But it’s not all roses and sunshine. Aside from the continuous international visits, charity events, grand openings, and meet-and-greets, the royals are also compelled to obey a variety of very severe, and often quite odd, restrictions. That includes what they eat and drink. We’ve come a long way from the heady days of gluttonous royal feasts and ever-fattening rulers, and the Queen now imposes a number of severe rules on how her household eats. These are the foods that the royal family is not permitted to consume. Some of these will undoubtedly surprise you.

The royals family stays away from garlic and onions

It is the foundation of all outstanding cookery. It’s the ideal way to liven up any dish. It’s why your house isn’t infested by vampires right now. Yes, you read it correctly: it’s garlic.

Unfortunately, the myriad pleasures of garlic are completely out of reach for the British royal family. Camilla Parker Bowles, wife of Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall, revealed that “garlic is a no-no” during an appearance on MasterChef Australia (via Glamour), and explained that the royals are told to “lay off the garlic” because they are frequently required to converse with other dignitaries and members of the public.

Royals don’t eat shellfish when dining out or abroad

The world of shellfish is an intriguing one: the name may refer to any of a variety of delectable and fascinating species that are offered all over the world, including shrimp, oysters, crab, lobster, clams, scallops, crayfish, mussels, and more. While the flavour and texture of these crustaceans vary greatly, they all have one thing in common: they are off-limits to the royals.

According to the BBC (via The Independent), the royals make strong attempts to avoid eating shellfish while dining out or visiting foreign nations since it carries a higher-than-normal risk of infection and disease. To put it mildly, mollusks (clams, scallops, oysters, and mussels) accounted for 45 percent of all seafood-related foodborne disease incidents between 1973 and 2006. Bacteria, viruses, or parasites picked up by shellfish can easily cause food poisoning, especially when eaten raw or improperly cooked, and pathogens can thrive in shellfish that haven’t been properly chilled — and it’s safe to say the Queen isn’t taking any chances that all chefs around the world know how to store and serve these finicky foods.

Rare meats are a no-go for the royals

Steak, particularly Gaelic steak, is a favourite of the Queen. Former royal chef Darren McGrady showed one of the Queen’s favourite recipes in a video for Delish. Despite the fact that he utilised beef tenderloin, the Queen preferred venison. Before cooking in butter and oil, the steak is seasoned with salt and pepper. The Gaelic sauce is next produced using sautéed onions (oh no!) and mushrooms, as well as flambéed Irish whiskey and cream. But it’s the manner she cooks her steak that’s most noticeable here: well done. “”As chefs, we always prepare medium rare,” McGrady stated. So it was critical that we get a nice excellent sear on the steaks and cook her steak well done.”

Potatoes, pasta, and rice are only for special occassions

Given that Meghan Markle’s favourite home-cooked meal is zucchini bolognese, she may be thanking her fortunate stars that she and Harry have absconded from their royal duties, as pasta (and other starchy foods) are off-limits for “working” royals.

According to Darren McGrady, the Queen avoids starchy meals like potatoes, pasta, and rice, with the exception of extremely rare occasions. Although this regulation most certainly does not apply to other royals when they are off doing their own thing, lunches at Buckingham Palace (or wherever the Queen is currently staying) will be an altogether other story. It’s possible that the Queen’s dislike of starchy meals stems from their high carb content, which some think can have a negative impact on people’s health. And the Queen isn’t the only world leader concerned about this; in 2015, Pope Francis was advised to cut back on pasta after gaining weight.

Tomato sauce is too messy for the Queen

Foie gras is banned from royal menus

Foie Gras is one of the most contentious delicacies available. The biggest issue with this costly, high-class pâté is that the production procedure is terribly inhumane. Farmers force-feed maize to ducks and geese through a tube put into their throats to manufacture foie gras, causing their livers to enlarge up to ten times their original size. Animals are maintained in deplorable circumstances.

Spicy or exotic foods aren’t served to royals

One of the primary advantages of being a royal is the opportunity to travel the world. The royals frequently travel to other countries as part of their duties, and Queen Elizabeth alone has made state visits to a wide range of locations, including France, Russia, Italy, Brazil, Thailand, the United States, Japan, Nepal, Ethiopia, and many more. So you’d think they’d be rather knowledgeable about world cuisine, especially since state visits frequently entail official dinners. Unfortunately, some of these nations’ most unique foods are not available.

Royals can’t drink tap water

When travelling overseas, they say you shouldn’t drink the tap water, and it appears that the royals have taken the old adage to heart, as they’re urged to avoid drinking tap water to avoid any “possible dangers.”

The royal family doesn’t waste food

Despite all of these banned delicacies, royal life is nonetheless rather rich. After all, you’re not going to whine about not being able to eat foie gras when you can have pheasant, fresh veggies, chocolate, pastries, and sandwiches. But, even if they eat luxuriously, one thing the royals despise is waste.
According to Carolyn Robb, a former royal chef, Prince Charles is adamant that nothing goes to waste. “”If there were leftovers,” he told Racked, “they’d be utilised in some way.” If not for him, it will be rehashed and used for a supper the next day.”