A former royal chef has revealed that Princess Anne takes a hands-on role in family meals during the royals' annual summer holiday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Darren McGrady, who spent 15 years working for the Royal Family, told the Daily Mail that some members would get involved in preparing barbecues and meals during their time at the Scottish retreat.
Princess Anne's kitchen visits
He said Princess Anne would regularly head down to the kitchen and ask what she could prepare. He said: “You’d often get Princess Anne come down to the kitchen and say: ‘I’m in charge of the first course tonight, what can I take?’”
Darren added that Prince Philip was said to be enthusiastic about cooking and would take responsibility for the main course. He said Prince Philip was “the most passionate of cooks in the kitchen”.
Prince Philip's barbecue passion
The prince reportedly enjoyed heading outdoors to cook during barbecues at Balmoral. Darren said: “He loved to cook and cared about food and recipes. He’d go on to ask what we could marinate them with and what vegetables were in the garden.”
The late Queen Elizabeth II used to enjoy summer breaks at the castle, alongside her husband, Prince Philip. The late Queen even spent the last few weeks of her life at Balmoral, passing away at the castle in September 2022.
Balmoral's royal history
Balmoral Castle is located in the Cairngorms National Park in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, 500 miles (about a 9-hour drive) north of London. Balmoral entered the British Royal Family in 1852, when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased the estate.
