When it comes to royal indulgences, many might picture decadent desserts and trays of fine chocolates but an ex-royal butler has confirmed King Charles’s commitment to healthy living and alternative sweet choices. The King also bucks a trend in a rather surprising way and he reportedly “doesn’t like chocolate”.
As stated by Heart Bingo, former royal chef Darren McGrady, who has worked in the royal kitchens, explains King Charles has a well-documented aversion to overly sweet foods. He shared: “His [King Charles] tastes were very different to his mother’s. The late Queen really was a chocoholic. She loved anything chocolate on the menu, whether it was a little cake or an eclair.
“But Charles doesn’t like chocolate, and goes more for the fruit options. He would much rather have an orange olive oil tea cake or banana bread. He would still have scones and a selection of tea sandwiches.”
The ex-royal chef also explained how Charles enjoyed locally sourced food from his Highgrove Estate. He added: “King Charles wasn’t a huge fan of lunch, so for breakfast he would always have a selection of different dried fruits, nuts and honeys that he brought up from Highgrove. Anything he had grown on the estate. He had it with yogurt and muesli, so it was like a healthy breakfast for him.
“He loved the plums from the Highgrove Estate. His chefs would bottle these Victoria Plums that were organic and send them up to Balmoral. He had this huge selection for breakfast every morning.”
When he bought the Highgrove Estate in 1980, Charles was adamant that it should be an entirely organic garden and farm. His Majesty sought the advice of a friend, Lady Salisbury, who was an experienced organic gardener well-known for her work at Cranbourne and at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire.
The walled Kitchen Garden helps the Highgrove estate achieve self-sufficiency in fruit and vegetables. Vegetables such as Charlotte potatoes and Happil strawberries, leeks, spring cabbage, Brussels sprouts and carrots are grown there, according to the Royal Family website.
Since King Charles was diagnosed with cancer last year and started treatment, it’s been reported that Queen Camilla, his aides and doctors have encouraged him to change his food habits.
According to The Mail on Sunday, at the insistence of Queen Camilla, His Majesty eats half an avocado as a light lunch, which is well known for being a superfood.
An unnamed source said: “With some reluctance, he now has something to eat at lunchtime – a snack, really. He now eats half an avocado to sustain him through the day. It’s important, particularly if you have got an illness.”
