Kate Middleton's down-to-earth requests for royal engagements include some surprisingly relatable snacks

Shocking celebrity riders - the list of items stars ask for when they attend events - are nothing new. Who hasn’t heard rumours of outlandish requests from divas and rockstars alike? Everything from white doves to brand new toilet seats in every room are some of the most extraordinary ones making the list.

Well, as it turns out, royal riders are also a thing. Fortunately, though, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the likes of the Prince and Princess of Wales keep their requests a little more down to earth.

Emily Andrews, woman&home royal correspondent and co-host of the Catching Up with the Royals podcast with Reverend Richard Coles, has now revealed that there’s only one thing Kate is never without when she’s out and about - a can of Diet Coke.

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Sharing a clip on the podcast's official Instagram account, Emily explained all about royal riders and confirmed that they do exist.

"Do the royals have riders? Do they have special requests for drinks or snacks that they always have to have on royal engagements? The answer is yes," she said.

According to her, King Charles and Queen Camilla, like the Princess of Wales, keep things surprisingly low-key. Emily said that "The King and Queen always like to have a specific cushion to ride in the car with them".

And if it’s a bit cold, they might ask for a blanket. So far, so reasonable. Moving on to discuss other royals, Emily claimed, "The Princess of Wales is never without a can of Diet Coke or some Hula Hoops if she gets peckish".

The real question we've found ourselves asking is - do we think Kate is more salt and vinegar or BBQ beef when it comes to this popular snack? As for Prince William, he apparently asks for nothing more than a bottle of water, though he can reportedly be "partial to a gin and tonic" - time and place permitting, we imagine.

It’s not known if Kate’s requests have changed much, or at all, since her cancer diagnosis and treatment, though it is possible she’s made some dietary adjustments. During a joint engagement with Prince William earlier in the year, the future Queen shared that she’s cut back on drinking alcohol.

She told the manager of a London brewery company, "Since my diagnosis I haven't had much alcohol. It's something I have to be a lot more conscious of now."

The occasional Diet Coke and packet of crisps aside, it’s understood that the Princess tends to follow a healthy, vegetable-packed diet. In the past it’s been widely reported that Kate opts for vegetarian or plant-based dishes at lunchtime, and has a go-to smoothie full of kale, spinach, romaine, blueberries, spirulina, and matcha.