The inner workings of the British monarchy continue to fascinate royal admirers around the world. The royal family's eating habits, including the Queen's favorite snacks, Princess Diana's go-to meals and Kate Middleton's chosen recipes, have piqued the interest of many in recent years. Former royal chef Darren McGrady has shed more light on the monarchy's culinary preferences, recently revealing some of the royal family's go-to dishes in an exclusive interview, including Prince Harry and Prince William's favorite childhood foods.
Chef McGrady, who spoke to Bustle on behalf of British coffee retailer Coffee Friend, served as the personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Princes William and Harry for 15 years. While working at Kensington Palace, he would regularly prepare meals for young William and Harry, who enjoyed British classics and banana desserts.
“They grew up loving cottage pie and roast chicken dinners,” Maddie recalled. "We used to always make chicken for the boys, with crispy crust and roast potatoes." According to the former royal chef, Prince Harry loved a roast chicken dinner so much that he chose to prepare it for the Duchess of Sussex on their engagement day this dish. "It's no surprise to me that when Harry proposed to Meghan Markle, he cooked roast chicken," he added.
Chef Maddie also revealed that Prince William and Prince Harry love banana pie and ice cream. Still, the boys' fondness for sweets became a bone of contention between the palace kitchens and royal nannies. “We had an ongoing argument with the nursery nanny about how much dessert pudding the children ate,” he recalls. "She would say 'No, they should eat healthy food!' I guess that's the job of a royal nanny."
Meanwhile, Prince William also "absolutely loves" chocolate biscuit cake, which also happens to be his grandmother the Queen's dessert of choice. “We did it all the time at Buckingham Palace,” Maddie recalled fondly.
