We've all imagined, at least once, what our life would be like if we were part of a royal family: it's a legacy from fairy tales and still, in the modern era, makes us daydream. What we see from the outside, however, is always the glossiest version of royal life, which is dreamlike, but also involves many responsibilities and various rules to follow. Let's take the most famous and talked-about royal family of all, the British one, as an example: the House of Windsor has entered pop culture and fascinates practically everyone. Everything about the family's adult and younger members is known, including many of the strict rules they must follow, which, despite the luxury and many privileges, can make life a little less fairytale-like than we imagine. Even the youngest members don't escape etiquette: George, Charlotte, and Louis —the three children of Prince William and Kate Middleton—receive an upbringing deeply rooted in royal family traditions, even when it comes to sitting at the table. Here's how the world's most watched little princes really eat, and all the etiquette rules they must follow despite their young age.
The Rules Little Royals Must Follow During Meals
In the British royal family, mealtimes are considered an integral part of education, and respect for etiquette is taken very seriously, even among the youngest. It's well known that William and Harry learned to use cutlery correctly and adhere to strict mealtimes from an early age. George, Charlotte, and Louis seem to grow up in a more informal environment than previous royal generations, but as members of the royal family, they too are subject to a whole series of mealtime protocols, especially during official events and gala dinners. While in their daily lives, Kate and William strive to balance protocol and spontaneity —their children go on picnics, cook desserts, eat with their parents, and are encouraged to try new flavors without excessive rigidity—the situation is different on public occasions.
George, Charlotte, and Louis are not allowed to eat with their parents during official and festive dinners, a rule that allows for no exceptions, not even at Christmas: on these occasions, they eat alone, with the nanny, in a separate room. This was revealed by former royal chef Darren McGrady, who also explained the reasons. At court events, it is very important to master the rules of good conversation: children cannot sit with adults until they have learned the art of polite conversation and are able to behave politely, without tantrums or impolite manners.
Precisely for this reason, the young princes and the princess have been taking etiquette lessons since a very young age, with particular attention to the basic table manners that the royal family must follow. The lessons cover everything from how to use napkins and cutlery to the appropriate level of voice for conversations during meals, helping them practice formal table manners. In everyday life, the rules are less rigid, but some dictates still exist. William and Kate themselves have explained how, outside of formal occasions, they always eat with their children and how they insist on strictly digital-free dinners for all three of them, in favor of moments of dialogue, presence, and authenticity.
A Balanced Diet and No "Off Limits" Foods
While adult members of the royal family have various dietary restrictions, especially during formal lunches and dinners, the three children are more liberal while still following a balanced diet. According to various rumors from former members of the royal staff, fruit and vegetables are the mainstays of the daily diet, with particular attention to fresh, seasonal ingredients. Several witnesses have said that Princess Kate is an excellent cook and loves to cook herself whenever possible, often preparing pasta, homemade pizzas, and simple desserts with the children. George, Charlotte, and Louis are said to happily participate in preparing meals, especially on weekends at their residence, Adelaide Cottage, in Windsor.
Of course, there are exceptions, especially during holidays and special occasions. Like many children, the little Windsors love pizza, hamburgers, and chips, but they are only allowed to eat them occasionally, in moderation. Furthermore, each of them has very specific tastes: according to what William and Kate have revealed over the years, George is particularly fond of pasta and pizza, Charlotte has a weakness for curry, olives, and spicy dishes, while Louis is particularly fond of vegetables. The dietary "slips" allowed to children, however, do not include snacks or, in general, overly processed foods, packaged snacks, and everyday junk food. Snacks are prepared by working royal chefs and consist mainly of healthy snacks, smoothies, and homemade desserts. Other daily meals must also be balanced and nutritious.
The education of young royals, in fact, also includes nutrition: they must learn to eat everything without throwing tantrums, regardless of their personal preferences (while obviously taking these into consideration, since they are children). For this reason, nannies are trained with a specific course that explains how to manage the children's food requests (and tantrums) according to the parents' ideas and the rules of the royal house.
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