King Charles's favourite breakfast is cheesy baked eggs, a simple dish that can be prepared in minutes at home. The monarch is known for his healthy approach to diet, focusing on organic produce, homegrown vegetables, small meals, and eggs from his chickens at Highgrove House.
Clarence House shares the recipe
In 2020, Clarence House revealed that cheesy baked eggs is one of Charles's favourite brunch recipes. Posting a picture of the eggs to Instagram at the time, Clarence House wrote: "The Prince [of Wales at the time] has also shared one of his favourite recipes, Cheesy Baked Eggs, which can be made by using any number of our great British cheeses."
The recipe is incredibly easy to make at home and can be whipped up in minutes. The monarch is also keen on nuts and seeds in the morning, along with a cup of tea, according to royal journalist Tina Brown's book, Palace Papers.
Breakfast habits revealed
In the book, an incident is mentioned in which a guest was inspecting the breakfast buffet at Highgrove, "when he lifted a tureen that offered Charles's preferred heap of Linseed." Tina wrote: "Prince William said: 'Oh no, don't go near the bird table, Stephen, that's only for Pa'."
Meanwhile, Queen Camilla's son, Tom Parker Bowles, revealed that the King likes to eat "dried fruit and honey" for breakfast, while his mother is more partial to porridge in the winter and a yoghurt bowl in the summer.
Cheesy baked eggs recipe
A recipe from Clarence House includes the following ingredients: 100g wilted spinach, 1 cherry tomato or sundried tomatoes, 35g strong soft cheese (e.g. Tunworth, Golden Cenarth or other strong soft cheese), 1 egg, 80ml double cream, 15g grated hard cheese (e.g. Old Winchester), fresh basil leaves (torn), and optional charcuterie. Where possible, use organic ingredients.
The method involves buttering a small ovenproof dish and lining it with wilted spinach, making a small well in the centre. Place the cherry tomato (quartered) or sundried tomato (chopped) on top of the spinach, dot the soft cheese around the dish amongst the tomatoes, add the torn basil leaves, and optionally add any charcuterie at this point. Season with salt and pepper, crack the egg into the centre of the spinach, pour the double cream over the egg (avoid breaking the yolk), sprinkle with grated hard cheese, and place in a hot oven (180°C) for 8-10 minutes. Let it stand for a few minutes before eating.
For lunch, it has been famously reported that the King considers it unnecessary and therefore does not eat it, so he can fit in more royal engagements. The monarch's eating habits were revealed in 2018, when Clarence House released a list of 70 facts to mark the then-Prince Charles's 70th birthday. Number 20 on the list was that "The Prince does not eat lunch". According to former royal correspondent at the Telegraph, Gordon Rayner, King Charles believes that lunch is a "luxury" that interferes with his busy work schedule.
