Royal diets have always been a feast for curiosity, offering a tantalizing glimpse into power, personality, and the fashions of the day. But what monarchs chose to eat was rarely just about hunger; it was often a statement of wealth, politics, or mood.
Henry VIII, for instance, was known for making a show of mealtimes, reportedly feasting on swan pie while awaiting word of Anne Boleyn’s execution, while George IV’s notorious gluttony saw turtle dishes headline his lavish banquets. Earlier still, medieval sovereigns like Richard II presided over tables where porpoise, whale, and even hedgehog-inspired creations were served.
From conquering kings’ culinary preferences to twenty-first-century clean eating, the royal table tells a story of tradition, extravagance, and ever-evolving tastes. Join us on a gastronomic journey through the centuries to uncover the favorite foods that shaped England’s royals, and the secrets they reveal.
Diana, Princess of Wales - Bread and butter pudding
We all have a comfort food favourite, and Princess Diana’s was bread and butter pudding. Though known for her health-conscious eating, avoiding red meat and often choosing skinless chicken or fish, she still enjoyed treats that reminded her of home. Her former chef, Darren McGrady, also revealed he prepared simple stuffed bell peppers and other vegetable dishes she loved, while bananas often appeared in her puddings, becoming some of her son, Prince Harry’s, favorites.
King Charles II - Pineapples
Charles II made the pineapple the ultimate status symbol, even dubbing it the ‘King-Pine' and commissioned a painting of himself being presented with one, in a showy symbol of wealth and exotic discovery.
Rare and costly, pineapples graced his banquets more as dazzling centerpieces than for flavor, though he did enjoy eating them, once offering writer and famed intellectual John Evelyn a slice from his own plate. But his taste for new luxuries didn't end there as he adored hot chocolate served in ornate cups, and favored unusual savory combinations such as eggs with anchovies and asparagus.
King Henry I - Lamprey
Forget Death By Chocolate, Henry I died after eating a "surfeit of lampreys", an eel-like fish considered a great delicacy at the time. Though his doctors warned him they were hard to digest, Henry loved their rich, oily flesh too much to abstain. Lampreys, often stewed in wine and spices, were prized at medieval banquets and even gifted to monarchs by their nobles. In overindulging, Henry sealed his place in culinary legend: the king who quite literally ate himself to death on his favorite dish.
Queen Elizabeth I - Marchpane
Elizabeth I’s sweet tooth was legendary, and one of her favorite treats was marchpane, the Tudor name for marzipan. Made from ground almonds, sugar or honey, and rosewater, it was molded into shapes, gilded with gold leaf, and crafted into elaborate centerpieces like castles and chessboards, served during the sweet course after meals, known as the 'void’. The Virgin Queen’s obsession with sugar ultimately blackened her teeth, but became a "look" her courtiers were desperate to imitate, as it signaled wealth and loyalty.
King William III - Salted Herring
Even after William of Orange landed in England during the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and was crowned joint sovereign with Mary II the following year, he never lost his taste for Dutch cuisine, preferring the simple fare of his homeland to the elaborate banquets English monarchs had been known to throw. It was said he was especially fond of salted herring, a staple of the Dutch diet, often paired with beer rather than the heavier wines his courtiers drank. Known for eating quickly and without fuss, he avoided the ostentation that had characterized earlier Stuart feasts.
King Richard III - Pike
Isotope analysis of Richard III’s remains, discovered in Leicester in 2012, revealed that after his coronation, his diet shifted heavily towards luxury foods. He consumed far more freshwater fish and wildfowl than earlier in life, along with notably greater quantities of imported wine. Pike was especially prized at the time, frequently gracing royal and noble tables, while records also highlight swan, heron, and carp as prestige dishes reserved for the elite.
Princess Charlotte - Olives
While most children may name crisps or sweets as their top treat, Princess Charlotte has surprised many with her favorite snack: olives. Catherine, Princess of Wales, has said that her daughter is particularly fond of them, happily tucking in whenever they appear on the table. Alongside this slightly unexpected choice, Charlotte also enjoys helping out in the kitchen with her mother, especially when pasta is on the menu, with cheesy pasta said to be a much-loved family staple.
Queen Mary II - Oranges
More than just a witty play on her name, Mary II of Orange was recorded as enjoying the citrus fruit, which was one of the most fashionable delicacies of her day. Unlike her husband, William III's plain Dutch diet, she favored more refined tastes. Oranges were especially prized, eaten fresh or candied, and her fondness for them was such that she ordered an orangery to be built at Hampton Court Palace to protect her collection of orange and lemon trees.
King George IV - Turtle Soup
George IV, notorious for his gluttony as Prince Regent, made turtle soup the hallmark of his table. Imported from the Caribbean, whole green turtles were slaughtered to create this costly delicacy, served at his lavish banquets alongside French cuisine, venison, and beefsteaks. Contemporary accounts also describe gargantuan breakfasts of pigeons, steaks, and several glasses of wine, port, and brandy, excesses that left him obese and crippled by gout. He did at times attempt ‘diets’ of boiled salmon and rice soup, but these were swiftly undermined by accompanying rich dishes like lobster au gratin.
Queen Elizabeth II - Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Queen Elizabeth II’s greatest indulgence was chocolate biscuit cake, a delicious no-bake treat that consists of chocolate, butter, and broken biscuits. Former royal chef Darren McGrady revealed it was her favorite teatime treat, so beloved that she would request it often. Another well-known must-have of the late Queen's was “jam pennies”, small butter-and-jam sandwiches cut into circles the size of old pennies, which was a nursery favourite she never gave up, even in later life.
Prince Albert - Venison
Prince Albert was happiest in the Scottish outdoors, stalking deer at Balmoral and enjoying freshly prepared venison from his hunts. Venison was highly prized in his native Germany, too, making it a dish that connected his heritage with his Highland retreat. While Victoria was notorious for her sweet tooth and lavish appetite, Albert was more restrained, favoring plain and wholesome meals. Contemporary accounts also note his fondness for the stews, sausages, and game meats typical of Saxe-Coburg dining.
King Charles I - Candied fruits
Charles I’s court was famed for its over-the-top sugar banquets, elaborate feasts where sweets sometimes replaced savory courses and intricate sculptures were fashioned from sugar itself. At the center were candied fruits: cherries, quinces, plums, and citrus peel preserved in sugar, luxuries that displayed wealth and refinement.
His marriage to Henrietta Maria of France introduced further sweet delicacies, with chefs bringing French pastries and spiced confections flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. These treats dazzled guests but carried a cost: sugar and spices were expensive imports tied to colonial and global trade. At a time of heavy taxation and religious strife, such extravagance was criticized as a symbol of royal arrogance, reinforcing the growing discontent that would culminate in civil war and the king’s downfall.
Queen Anne - Hot Chocolate
Queen Anne’s reign helped cement chocolate as a fashionable luxury in England, and she herself was known to adore it, having quite the sweet tooth. Served thick and sweet, often with spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, hot chocolate became a prized indulgence at court. Anne is also known to have favored hearty roast beef, which by then was emerging as a patriotic emblem of English identity, as a solid contrast to the refined French cooking styles beloved by earlier Stuarts.
Prince Phillip - Salmon coulibiac
Prince Philip’s palate was much like him - practical but adventurous, shaped by travel and his love of the outdoors. Former royal chef Darren McGrady recalled that his favorite dish was salmon coulibiac, a Russian pastry filled with layers of salmon, rice, mushrooms, onions, herbs, and hard-boiled egg, all wrapped in puff pastry, which he asked for repeatedly. At Balmoral, he famously manned the barbecue, grilling venison, sausages, and freshly caught fish for family picnics. He also developed a fondness for Crepe Islandaise; Icelandic pancakes with jam and cream, after tasting them abroad.
King Edward VII - Cygne à la Windsor
Like his mother, Queen Victoria, Edward VII, dubbed the ‘Playboy Prince’, adored his food, perhaps even more so, and is remembered as one of history’s great gourmands, with his lavish tastes setting the tone for Edwardian dining. Royal menus from Sandringham reveal he relished rich French cuisine, turtle soup, and a wide range of game, from partridge and pheasant to venison and wild duck. Swan, once a symbol of royal privilege, even appeared on menus as ‘Cygne à la Windsor’, a reminder of older traditions lingering at his table.
King George III - Chicken broth
Nicknamed ‘Farmer George’, George III preferred simple fare to lavish court banquets, with one of his most requested dishes being chicken broth, a comfort he returned to often, alongside plain beef, mutton, eggs, and vegetables. He drank orange juice daily and also enjoyed a ‘herbal cup’ distilled from borage and mixed with white wine, which was believed to calm the mind and aid digestion. His plain tastes and rural interests made him a striking contrast to the gluttonous monarchs who came before and after.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex - Avocado on toast
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has long favored healthy, California-inspired staples, with avocado toast among her best-loved foods. Her best friend and makeup artist, Daniel Martin, once dubbed her the "avocado toast whisperer" after she served it at Kensington Palace, and she praised a spiced avocado dip in her Together cookbook as a personal favorite. Meghan also enjoys acai bowls for breakfast, fish tacos, and fresh sushi, reflecting her taste for light, wholesome dishes.
King Richard II – Roasted peacock
Richard II’s court is immortalized in The Forme of Cury, a famous cookbook compiled by his master cooks around 1390 and one of the earliest written in English. The manuscript reveals the extravagance of his banquets, with recipes for whale and porpoise (classed as fish for fast days), roasted peacock redressed in its feathers, and even hedgehogs, whether real or cleverly imitated, stuffed with herbs. Dishes were lavishly spiced with saffron, cloves, and ginger, flaunting wealth and global reach. While no single favorite dish of the king survives, the cookbook shows how food at his court was designed as theatre; a dazzling display of status and luxury as much as sustenance.
King James I – Meat Pies
James I had little time for fish, claiming it was "unhealthy", and instead preferred to fill his table with rich, heavy meats, and in particular, hearty meat pies, which became a staple of his dining. At banquets, he was also known to indulge in sugar confections and marchpane, which was an early form of marzipan, and according to contemporary sources, he was known to eat and drink to excess at such events, a habit that left him prone to digestive troubles.
Princess Anne - Devilled pheasant
Princess Anne’s tastes are famously unfussy, but when she guest-edited a magazine in 2020, she spotlighted a recipe for devilled pheasant, prepared by Ritz chef John Williams with shredded poached pheasant, cream, and spiced chutney, suggesting it was one of her favorites.
Beyond that, her diet reflects her practical nature: she enjoys simple pies, sometimes even tinned versions on royal flights, is known for preferring bananas so ripe they are almost black, and kippers are reliably cited as one of her favorite foods.
William the Conqueror – Roasted meats
William the Conqueror’s huge appetite was notorious, so much so that chroniclers of the time describe him in later years as so obese he could barely ride his horse, and in desperation, it's said he turned to a “liquid diet” of wine and spirits, abandoning food almost entirely. At court, when he did eat, Norman dining centered on abundance rather than courses, with great trenchers piled high with roasts of venison, pork, and game birds, the juices soaked up by slabs of bread.
Queen Victoria - Boiled mutton with caper sauce
Queen Victoria was known for her hearty appetite, with breakfasts of porridge, eggs on toast, smoked haddock, and ‘fancy breads’, though she rarely ate everything served. Dinners featured soup, fish, cold chicken or roast beef, with seasonal produce, including pineapples grown in her own glasshouses.
She adored potatoes in every form and had a notorious sweet tooth, favoring chocolate sponges, petits fours, biscuits, pralines, and cranberry tart with cream. Ice creams, mulled wine, and whisky were enduring pleasures, the latter strengthened by her Scottish ties at Balmoral. Yet her most consistent indulgence was boiled mutton with caper sauce, widely noted as her favorite everyday dish.
King Charles III - Wild mushroom risotto
A lifelong gardening enthusiast, King Charles III is a staunch advocate of sustainability and organic farming. Much of his food comes from his Highgrove estate, where orchards, gardens, and farmland supply his table. One of his favorite dishes is said to be wild mushroom risotto, made with porcini and ceps foraged at Balmoral, but he's also known to enjoy lamb reared on his land and fruit from his orchards, with a devotion to home-grown and foraged ingredients defining his culinary identity.
Queen Charlotte - German stews
Queen Charlotte’s tastes were shaped by her German upbringing, and as such, she favored simple fare such as plain roasts, broths, and stews rather than the rich indulgences enjoyed by later Hanoverians. Contemporary accounts describe her dining as modest and practical, reflecting her preference for hearty, homely dishes over elaborate courtly banquets. This restraint at the table matched her reputation for refinement and dignity, setting her apart from more extravagant monarchs.
King John - Lamprey pie
King John’s culinary obsession was lamprey pie, a delicacy of eel-like fish baked in rich pastry. He loved it so much that he obliged the City of Gloucester to present him with one every Christmas, on pain of a heavy fine if they failed. Chroniclers noted his fondness, even when physicians warned that lampreys were difficult to digest. The Gloucester tradition endured long after John’s death, with lamprey pies presented to later monarchs as a ceremonial gift.
Princess Margaret – Smoked kippers
To the surprise of many, the so-called "Rebel Royal", Princess Margaret, had more straightforward gourmet tastes than her glamorous image suggested. She disliked caviar and oysters, preferring plain meals and modest menus on her travels. One of her best-loved dishes was smoked kippers, often served at breakfast during her retreats, including on Mustique, served alongside her defining daily indulgence: a glass of The Famous Grouse whisky with water.
King Henry VIII - Swan pie
Tudor feasts under Henry VIII were spectacles of excess, with delicacies like peacock and eel baked whole in golden pastry to flaunt royal power. He relished game such as venison and boar, alongside imported luxuries like citrus fruits and globe artichokes. His tables were laden with preserved fruits, from cherries and strawberries to quince marmalade, and rich sweets including marchpane (marzipan), jellies, and tarts. Chroniclers even note him feasting on swan pie as he awaited Anne Boleyn’s execution in 1536.
Wallis, Duchess of Windsor - Maryland fried chicken
Said to be a meticulous planner when it came to food and entertaining, Wallis Simpson, later Duchess of Windsor, favored lighter meals but always done with flair. Yet, in 1942, she published Some Favorite Southern Recipes of the Duchess of Windsor, revealing her enduring attachment to the comforting dishes of her Maryland childhood.
Among them was Maryland fried chicken, a crisp, homely classic she regularly served at her table. It was a surprisingly homely choice for a woman famed for caviar, cocktails, and elegant French fare, not to mention boasting a waif-like figure, but it was one that perhaps best reflected her true personal tastes and roots.
The Queen Mother - Herrings in oatmeal
Like her husband, King George VI, The Queen Mother was fond of simple, traditional fare, with fish among her favorite foods. An enthusiastic angler in Scotland, her catches were often served at Balmoral or the Castle of Mey. One dish she especially enjoyed was herrings in oatmeal, a classic Scottish preparation where fresh herrings are coated in oatmeal and pan-fried until crisp. She also favored trout and other freshly caught fish. Though state occasions demanded grandeur, in private her tastes leaned towards comfort, simplicity, and the foods of her beloved Highlands.
Queen Camilla - Roast chicken
Known for leaning into hearty comfort food made with quality ingredients, one of Queen Camilla's favorite dishes is said to be roast chicken. According to her eldest son, food critic Tom Parker Bowles, her own recipe doesn’t shy from flavor, using "all the ugly fats" and fresh herbs, served with sauces made from cream, garden garnish, and rich drippings. She also enjoys salmon, trout, and simple English game, preferring straightforward food over spectacle.
King George VI - Kedgeree
With culinary tastes far simpler than those of his lavish predecessors, George VI preferred plain, no-nonsense meals, reflecting the modest character of a king who led Britain through wartime austerity. Breakfasts often featured kedgeree, a dish of flaked fish, boiled rice, eggs, and curry spices, reflecting the era’s colonial palate. When staying at Sandringham, it's said he delighted in game from the estate shoots, a long-standing royal tradition he shared with his father, King George V.
Catherine, Princess of Wales - Spicy curries
It's a case of the spicier the better for Princess Kate, who is known for her love of curry, especially the vegetarian versions she often makes at home. During a royal visit to India, she admitted she can’t resist hot curries, while William joked he avoids them because he "can’t handle the heat". Balancing that fiery taste, she enjoys fresh, healthy snacks like watermelon and has a soft spot for British pub classics such as sticky toffee pudding.
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