What Does the Royal Family Eat on Christmas? A Former Royal Chef Tells All
The royal family Christmas meal is chock full of tradition. They tend to eat the same things year after year. Who would know better about the clan’s eating habits on the Christmas holiday than their former royal chef? He spilled all the details.
The royal family eats a lot on Christmas Day, says their former chef
Darren McGrady, former chef to Queen Elizabeth II, revealed that the Christmas menu is extensive and varied. He told Good Housekeeping that the feast begins on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve begins with afternoon tea. During that time, typically, the royal family arrives at Sandringham, and that same evening, they exchange Christmas presents.
A hearty pre-church breakfast on Christmas Day includes eggs, bacon, and sausages. After church, they have a big lunch that includes upwards of 20 dishes, including salad with shrimp or lobster.
Following are roasted turkey and traditional side dishes like parsnips, carrots, and Brussels sprouts. For dessert, it’s a Christmas pudding with brandy butter. Typically, the royal family sticks with the same meal year after year.
That’s not all the food the members of the House of Windsor enjoy
After the second meal of the day, the royal family sits down together and watches the monarch’s Christmas speech. Then, the group separates and spends time doing whatever they wish for the remainder of the afternoon.
However, they reconvene late afternoon for tea and traditional Christmas fruitcake. Darren McGrady says that following, the royal family comes together to eat one last time at a buffet dinner.
There, they can choose from 15 to 20 different items. He revealed there are always chefs at the tables carving a selection of meats.
One thing the royal family does not do is appetizers. Those are reserved for New Year’s Eve.
Does the chef ever eat with the royal family?
Although the chef’s work is integral to the royal family’s Christmas celebration, there is little interaction between the clan and those who prepare the meals. However, there is one time when the chef and the royals can interact, says Darren McGrady.
“Right before the Christmas buffet, the senior chef on duty goes into the dining room and carves the rib roast, turkey, or ham,” McGrady revealed. “Once he’s done, the queen presented the chef with a glass of whiskey, and they toast.
He continued, “That’s the only time the chef goes into the dining room and has a glass of whiskey with the royal family. It’s one of the chef’s favorite traditions.”
The royal family will follow the traditions of the late Queen Elizabeth by convening at Sandringham for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2023.
