Most people imagine royal dining involves endless courses of exotic delicacies served on golden platters. The reality of King Charles’s daily eating habits might surprise anyone expecting champagne and caviar for breakfast. His favorite foods are surprisingly down-to-earth, though prepared with the kind of precision that only comes with having a team of royal chefs. From his obsession with perfectly timed eggs to his decades-long habit of skipping lunch entirely, the King’s eating patterns reveal a monarch who values simplicity over extravagance.
Eggs dominate every single meal
The King’s relationship with eggs borders on obsession, appearing at nearly every meal in some form. His preferred preparation is the coddled egg, which requires precise timing of just two to three minutes of cooking time. Former royal chef Mervyn Wycherley kept three pans boiling constantly whenever the King was expected, just to ensure perfect timing. The preparation became so routine that his security team would radio ahead with arrival times.
These soft-boiled eggs often get mashed into side salads, creating a mayonnaise-like texture that the King particularly enjoys. Royal chefs also prepare cheesy baked eggs for his regular brunch meals, a dish that frequently appears on the official Clarence House Instagram page. Even Netflix’s The Crown referenced this egg obsession, showing Camilla explaining how refusing to serve a soft-boiled egg would be a “cardinal mistake.”
Wild mushroom foraging became his stress relief
The King personally hunts for wild mushrooms across his estates, turning foraging into both a hobby and a source for his kitchen. He takes royal chefs to Balmoral specifically to show them the best mushroom hunting spots, bringing back prized porcini mushrooms to Buckingham Palace. His knowledge of wild mushrooms impressed even renowned chef Antonio Carluccio, whom the King personally guided on foraging expeditions.
According to royal correspondent Robert Jobson, the King spent hours foraging in the woods at Birkhall just before Queen Elizabeth’s death, finding comfort in this familiar activity. His favorite meal combines these foraged mushrooms into a wild mushroom risotto, often paired with rack of lamb. Former royal chef Darren McGrady created a specific recipe for this dish that became a regular request whenever the King was in residence.
Plums require exact serving specifications
The King’s breakfast routine includes two plums served with a small amount of juice, though he consistently eats only one. Royal chef McGrady discovered this pattern when the same plum kept returning to the kitchen uneaten day after day. Thinking he could simplify things by serving just one plum, the chef learned that the King specifically wanted two plums available, even though he’d only consume one.
This particular habit highlights how royal food preferences often involve specific presentation requirements rather than just taste preferences. The unused plum gets carefully returned to storage rather than wasted, reflecting the King’s commitment to avoiding food waste. Plums from the gardens at Highgrove House are particularly favored, picked fresh when the King is in residence at his country estate.
Lunch disappeared from his daily routine for decades
For most of his adult life, King Charles considered lunch an unnecessary luxury that didn’t fit into his packed schedule. Former royal correspondent Gordon Rayner revealed this unusual eating pattern, which was later confirmed by Clarence House in 2018. The King typically ate only breakfast and dinner, skipping the midday meal entirely despite having access to world-class chefs around the clock.
This changed dramatically in 2024 when health concerns prompted his wife Queen Camilla and royal aides to encourage regular lunch consumption. His compromise involves eating exactly half an avocado between breakfast and dinner. While this might seem minimal compared to typical lunch portions, it represents a significant lifestyle change for someone who spent decades avoiding midday meals completely.
Fresh caught salmon gets royal treatment
The King’s fishing expeditions at River Dee with Queen Mother produced enormous salmon that received VIP treatment in the royal kitchen. Each fish got individually weighed, tagged, and catalogued before any preparation could begin. No chef was allowed to touch these prized catches until specific cooking instructions came from the King himself, who took personal pride in deciding how his fresh-caught salmon should be prepared.
Former royal chef Darren McGrady described these salmon as so fresh “their eyes seemed to follow you around the room,” emphasizing the quality that comes from immediate preparation after catching. The King typically requested simple preparations like grilling, poaching, or broiling with minimal garnish, allowing the fish’s natural taste to shine through. Prince William and Prince Harry often joined their father on these fishing trips, learning both the sport and appreciation for fresh, locally sourced food.
Afternoon tea replaces traditional lunch
Rather than eating lunch, the King prefers an elaborate afternoon tea service that takes place precisely at 5 p.m. This isn’t just tea and biscuits, but a substantial meal featuring macaroons, scones, wafers, petit fours, pralines, Chelsea buns, and shortbread alongside savory options. The savory selections include bridge rolls, crumpets, poached eggs on toast, potted shrimp, and various sandwiches filled with chicken, smoked salmon, or ham and mustard.
Tom Parker Bowles describes this afternoon tea as something the King takes very seriously, treating it as a relaxed but important daily ritual. The timing remains consistent regardless of the King’s location, whether at Buckingham Palace, Highgrove, or any of the other royal residences. This traditional British approach to afternoon dining allows him to maintain his preferred eating schedule while still consuming adequate nutrition throughout the day.
Organic farming supplies his personal pantry
The King owns one of Britain’s first certified organic farms and stocks his kitchens primarily with produce from his own estates. His Duchy Originals brand, started in 1990, now supplies Waitrose stores with organic products that meet his exact standards. The royal pantry features seasonal items like game, beef, lamb, peas, strawberries, raspberries, and chard, all grown using organic methods he pioneered before organic farming became mainstream.
Former royal chef Carolyn Robb calls him “a great supporter and leader of the organic movement,” noting his commitment to sustainable food production began in the 1980s at Highgrove. His incredible vegetable garden at the Duchy Estate provides fresh ingredients year-round, with seasonal availability determining daily menu options. The King’s approach emphasizes soil fertility, biodiversity, and avoiding industrial agriculture methods, principles that directly influence what appears on his dinner table.
Sweet treats rarely make the menu
Unlike his mother Queen Elizabeth, who famously loved cakes and sweet treats, King Charles shows little interest in desserts or sugary foods. Former royal chef Carolyn Robb notes that he “really doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth,” making dessert planning much simpler than during the previous reign. When cake appears during afternoon tea, the King typically passes it by in favor of savory options or fresh fruit.
This preference for minimal sweets extends to his overall approach to eating, which emphasizes fresh, natural ingredients over processed or heavily sweetened foods. Royal chefs rarely need to prepare elaborate dessert courses for private meals, focusing instead on perfecting the savory dishes and fresh produce that dominate his preferred menu. Fresh fruit from his gardens at Highgrove often serves as his preferred end to meals, particularly during summer months when berries and stone fruits are in season.
Simple dinners happen away from royal pomp
The King and Queen Camilla prefer laid-back private dinners that completely avoid the formal atmosphere of state banquets. According to Queen Camilla’s son Tom Parker Bowles, these intimate meals feature simple, healthy, and seasonal foods prepared by Royal Chef Mark Flanagan, who travels between all the royal residences. The contrast between private dining and official entertaining couldn’t be more dramatic.
While state banquets involve three-course meals served at elaborate table settings in St. George’s Hall or Buckingham Palace ballroom, private dinners focus on conversation and relaxation. The menus for official events still get written in French and require royal approval, but personal meals emphasize comfort and nutritional value over ceremony. Queen Camilla typically eats very light lunches consisting of chicken soup or smoked salmon, complementing the King’s minimal midday eating habits.
King Charles proves that royal eating doesn’t require constant luxury or exotic ingredients. His food choices reflect personal preferences developed over decades, emphasizing fresh, organic, locally sourced ingredients prepared simply but perfectly. From his daily eggs to afternoon tea rituals, the King’s eating habits show how even monarchs can prefer comfort and simplicity over elaborate royal traditions when it comes to everyday meals.
