What was Princess Diana’s favourite dish? And what do Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and other British royals most love to eat? Former chef spills the beans

If you think modern royals eat like kings at state banquets all the time, think again. We find out what British royals eat in their down time from personal chef of 11 years to Queen Elizabeth and then Princess Diana after her separation from Prince Charles, Darren McGrady. He reveals their favourite dishes, and you will be surprised.

Princess Diana

The late Princess Diana was known to have suffered from bulimia, but according to McGrady her road to recovery and healthy eating started when she moved out of her marriage and into Kensington Palace. She became a healthy eater and looked amazing for it, the chef revealed.

Always ahead of the trend, Princess Diana started juicing in the 1980s before it became a foodie fad. She never ate red meat or shellfish, says the chef.

Her favourite dish was bell peppers stuffed with zucchini, mushrooms, rice, garlic topped with Parmesan and mozzarella and finished with a smoked tomato and pepper sauce. She asked for this dish several times a week, says McGrady, who also revealed that she never stuck to the menus the chefs had to make for the household. She would often come into the kitchen and ask for her favourite dish, and sit there chatting while he made it.

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Her favourite dessert? Bread and butter pudding – she would only have it when William and Harry were staying, and then she would only have a small portion.

Kate Middleton

Like her late mother-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge has a healthy diet consisting of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meat and juices. And it has been said that along with her mother Carole and sister Pippa, they are fans of the low carb Atkin’s diet. But when it comes to her favourite dish, Kate loves a spicy curry, especially vegetarian. She started with takeaways when she was pregnant with Prince George but has since learnt to cook a good spicy curry herself. She admits that her husband Prince William struggles with spices but one favourite treat they both enjoy sharing is popcorn. Kate’s favourite dessert? Sticky toffee pudding with chocolate sauce.

Factoid – the Duchess loves to cook according to McGrady. Prince William and Kate do not have a private chef as Kate loves to cook for the family. She also likes to do her own grocery shopping.

Meghan Markle 

The Duchess of Sussex is a self-proclaimed foodie, and although she follows a healthy diet, she believes that depriving yourself of something you love to eat will only make you crave it more. She revealed to Delish magazine that her go-to treats are pasta with zucchini and lots of Parmesan. She cooks the zucchini for four hours to make a sauce then tosses the pasta in it. She says the sauce becomes so creamy, you would think there is a lot of butter and cream in it, but it is just water and a little bouillon.

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She loves a glass of red wine with her meal, and for dessert. She readily gives up sweet treats for a big glass of red wine. Her favourite is tignanello, but she is also a fan of Argentinian malbec. Another favourite guilty pleasure is a glass of red with fries. She loves to cook steak, and is mainly gluten free as she says it makes her skin glow and she has more energy.

Prince Harry

It was recently revealed that Prince Harry’s favourite sweet treat is a Nanaimo bar, which is named after the Canadian city it is made in. The bar features a coconut base with custard filling and a chocolate topping. Although Harry is a recent resident of Canada, McGrady says, Harry has long been a fan of the sugary bars. McGrady tweeted that he used to make them while he was a chef to at Kensington Palace, especially when Princes William and Harry had friends over.

His favourite dishes that have transcended from childhood are traditional British fare such as shepherd’s pie made with lamb. But he is said to be a big fan of Nando’s chicken. He has been seen ordering a pitta with extra cheese with a side of creamy mash together with a double chicken wrap and chips.

Prince Philip

Prince Philip, the queen’s husband of more than 70 years, has an adventurous palate according to McGrady. Unlike his wife who enjoys simple flavours, the prince loves trying new dishes. One of his favourite meals is the Russian dish salmon coulibiac, essentially fish wrapped in puff pastry. King of all chefs Auguste Escoffier popularised the dish in France in the early 20th century and added a vegetarian version made with cabbage and potatoes.

McGrady’s version for Prince Philip featured salmon with onions and mushrooms, rice, hard-boiled eggs with tarragon to flavour. The original recipe, however, uses dill. The 96-year-old prince loves to fly fish and when at Balmoral Castle he catches the salmon himself, according to McGrady.

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Prince Philip is a foodie who often comes back from abroad with a recipe he has enjoyed while away. He loves spices, woodcock, grouse and black pudding. He also loves to grill several times a week, according to the chef.

Prince Charles

The heir to the British throne definitely does not eat like the kings of old, known for their extravagant rich fare. It is said that his usual daily routine foodwise is breakfast of a four-minute egg accompanied by a cup of Darjeeling tea with a dash of milk and honey. And the 71-year old never eats lunch, which makes dinner the main meal of the day. As a keen game hunter, Prince Charles enjoys pheasant crumble pie or coq au vin, made with grouse. He is also known to like moussaka made with grouse – fondly named groussaka. Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, says her husband loves local cheese and locally grown vegetables.

According to McGrady, Prince Charles always brings vegetables grown on his Highgrove estate when the royals meet up for celebrations.

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