When you imagine what the royals eat and drink, your mind naturally goes to the fanciest produce available. Caviar and filet steak washed down with champagne anyone? But how close are those guesses to what the King and Queen are actually chomping on day to day?
According to former royal butler and founder of Regal Afternoon Tea, Julius Smith, not very. He’s spent 35 years discreetly navigating the whims of the world’s most powerful people, serving everyone from diplomats to celebrities during exclusive events. And now, he’s dishing the details on what’s actually on palace menus.
His main takeaway? ‘Forget the champagne-soaked extravagance you may imagine. The monarch’s habits are far more understated than many would expect.’
King Charles has ‘understated’ taste
According to Smith, Charles’ tastes are surprisingly modest – and much different from the lavish feasts we imagine taking place behind palace walls.
The former butler says the King is ‘not a big eater at all’ and tends to favour light, simple meals over anything overly rich or extravagant. In fact, Charles often skips lunch altogether, preferring a carefully prepared afternoon tea instead.
And forget endless questions from hovering staff – Smith says royal service is all about anticipation. Charles, he explains, likes Earl Grey or chamomile tea with honey already stirred in before it even reaches him. ‘You don’t need to waste his time offering things and asking questions because you already know what he likes,’ Smith explains.
One particularly memorable menu, however, raised even the King’s aristocratic eyebrows. Smith recalls a royal lunch where Charles’s guests were unexpectedly served a ‘terrine of squirrel’ (hardly your standard cucumber sandwiches).
And while the King reportedly handled the unusual dish with his trademark politeness, not everyone around the table was quite so enthusiastic. According to Smith, there were suddenly ‘a few last-minute vegetarians’ once the main was revealed, with several plates quietly returning to the kitchen barely touched.
Still, the then Prince of Wales was never going to make a fuss. Smith insists Charles dislikes surprises when it comes to food and would likely have sampled the dish beforehand to ensure it was acceptable before it ever reached guests. ‘There’s a good chance he knew what was coming and had tried it already to make sure it was edible,’ he says.
The late queen’s ‘tipsy’ trick to get guests gossiping
According to the former butler, Queen Elizabeth II’s eating habits were also surprisingly simple, with her majesty favouring comforting staples over anything decadent. ‘She was very keen on white bread with jam and butter,’ he recalls, insisting she preferred small, plain meals rather than rich banquets.
And as for those long-standing claims she enjoyed a regular pre-lunch gin and Dubonnet? Smith says the reality was far less boozy. ‘She certainly wouldn’t be drinking and things like that as part of the routine,’ he explains, adding that such habits were ‘more the Queen Mother’.
That’s not to say royal lunches were entirely dry affairs, however. In fact, Julius claims the Queen had her own mischievous way of encouraging conversation around the table.
‘She used to love to gossip,’ he says, revealing that the monarch would insist guests’ wine glasses were constantly topped up – even if they attempted to stop the pouring with their hands. ‘She would say to pour it in through their fingers!’
Her royal tea ritual also had some distinctive quirks. According to Smith, the Queen would often add a slice of lemon to her tea – a small touch that quickly became contagious among guests keen to imitate Her Majesty’s habits. ‘Whatever’s good enough for the Queen is good enough for everybody else,’ he says.
And as for her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh? His favourite was ‘crêpes filled with clotted cream, strawberry jam and fresh strawberries with sugar on… absolutely delicious.’
The etiquette rules of dining with the royals
Life as a royal butler has also placed Smith at the centre of some truly surreal moments, including one awkward encounter involving a foreign king and a strict no-smoking rule.
Tasked with informing the royal guest that smoking indoors wasn’t permitted at a palace gathering, Smith had to go over and say. ‘“Excuse me, Your Majesty…” and explain the situation,’ he recalls. Fortunately, the monarch in question took it in good humour, politely asking if he might be allowed ‘one more puff’ before putting the cigarette out. ‘Absolute style, humour – delightful,’ Smith says.
Not every aristocratic guest was quite so graceful. Smith also remembers one particularly unimpressed German count who aggressively stubbed out his cigarette before snapping: ‘If I had known, I would not have come.’ Smith’s verdict? ‘Well, you wouldn’t have been particularly missed.’
Over the years, his work has also brought him face-to-face with some of the world’s most powerful political figures – including Donald Trump during an ultra-fast-paced state banquet. According to Smith, staff were required to serve and clear four courses in just 25 minutes, which required military-style precision behind the scenes. And despite Trump’s, ahem, divisive reputation, Smith admits he enjoyed serving him. ‘He was incredibly impressive… really, really on it,’ he says.
After decades spent serving royalty, Smith insists true luxury has very little to do with endless extravagance. Instead, he says, it comes down to tiny details like perfectly pressed napkins, anticipating how someone takes their tea, and ensuring guests feel completely at ease. Though there is one cardinal sin he still can’t forgive. ‘The worst thing you can do is take the last biscuit without offering – and take pictures of the food. Just enjoy it!’
