A TASTE OF royalty

Marion McMullen on food fit for a King... or Queen

Prince William once revealed that Prince George’s favourite dish was Italian classic spaghetti carbonara. Princess Charlotte is said to enjoy snacking on olives.

King Charles and the Queen Consort have personally chosen a recipe for “Coronation Quiche” in celebration of the Big Lunches due to be staged to mark the coronation. They shared the recipe for the open baked savoury tart, which features spinach, broad beans and tarragon, on the royal family’s official Twitter account.

Princess Diana is said to have loved foods that were in season as well as salads, cold minted lamb, stuffed aubergines and souffles.

7 2

Coronation Chicken – cold chicken in a curry cream sauce, with a wellseasoned dressed salad of rice, green peas and mixed herbs – was invented for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. It was served to guests at Buckingham Palace after the ceremony.

Afternoon tea and six-course meals were popular with Queen Victoria. The monarch also made her own cocktail with claret and whisky and enjoyed a good Islay single malt.

8 3

The Platinum Pudding competition for Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee was won by copywriter Jemma Melvin last year for her showstopping lemon trifle. There were more than 5,000 entries for the contest which was judged by Dame Mary Berry and Monica

Galetti.

Henry VIII spent a fortune on food every year and happily tucked into game, venison, lamb and swan as well as unusual dishes such as whale meat. It’s claimed his hefty booze bill came to around £6 million a year in today’s money.

9

Chocolate biscuit cake was a childhood favourite of Prince William and he even had it as the groom cake for his wedding to Kate Middleton. The celebration treat was made by McVities and included 1,700 biscuits and more than 37lbs of chocolate.

Queen Elizabeth I once ordered the nation to eat fish twice a week to boost the fishing industry. It is said she also served the first gingerbread men at a state banquet in an effort to impress visiting dignitaries. 10

King Henry I’s love of the eel-like lamprey led to his death in 1135 after he binged on them against the advice of his doctor. He fell ill and passed away within a week.