A former Royal Family chef has revealed what the King and his relatives could eat this Christmas – and it’s not as posh as you might think it would be.
The royals have a series of festive traditions, including opening presents on Christmas eve – in line with their German roots. But when it comes to their Christmas dinner, it looks similar to the meal many Brits will tuck into on the 25th, reports The Mirror.
Chef Darren McGrady, who worked at the Savoy Hotel in London even went as far as calling the choice “boring”. He cooked for the royals for 15 years, serving everyone from the late Queen to Diana, Princess of Wales.
He looks back fondly on Christmas Days, saying they were quite a normal affair. He says one more unusual tradition was the men and women eating breakfast separately.
He said the men would be served a full English breakfast that included eggs, bacon, mushrooms, kippers and grilled kidneys. The women meanwhile would have “a light breakfast of “sliced fruit, half a grapefruit, toast and coffee delivered to their rooms”.
The family will then traditionally attend church. They then return for lunch, which Darren says is the same every year.
Speaking to HELLO!, he said: “They’re actually boring when it comes to festivities. They didn’t do hams or anything, just traditional turkeys.
“We did three turkeys for the Queen and her family in the royal dining room, one for the children’s nursery and then more for the 100 or so staff, so everyone had a Christmas lunch. The turkey is served with mashed and roast potatoes, chestnut or sage and onion stuffing, cranberry sauce and bread sauce. Vegetables include brussels sprouts, carrots and roast parsnips.”
After their main course, the royals are said to enjoy a festive homemade pudding. Darren says it is “decorated in holly, doused in brandy, and the palace steward would carry it, flaming, into the royal dining room.”
After lunch the royals have traditionally gone on a walk around the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. They have then returned back to watch the speech.
