Who hasn't been fascinated, at least once, by the events surrounding the Royal Family? The British royal family has certainly impressed you with a life that, let's face it, fascinates everyone a little. And yet, despite the luxury and many privileges, even the royal family has rules to follow, some of which may seem truly bizarre.
Among the most peculiar are those related to food and wine. Contrary to what you might think, the British royal family, and especially the Senior Royals (the so-called "family members closest to the throne"), despite being moderately greedy, must adhere to a culinary protocol full of sacrifices, which applies to both official and private events. Here are all the interesting facts about the British royal family's dietary restrictions, from not being able to eat rectangular sandwiches to pasta being banned from any official or important ceremony.
The list of culinary prohibitions imposed on members of the royal family is long and can be divided into two macro categories: foods prohibited because they are considered particularly dangerous and foods prohibited because they could easily cause the royals to get into unpleasant situations.
1. Raw Meat and Seafood
Among the list of foods banned because they are considered dangerous, shellfish, seafood, and raw meat stand out. The reason is the same: first of all, they could potentially cause food poisoning or trigger allergies that could compromise the health of the Royals. Furthermore, they could also cause intestinal problems, which would not only cause discomfort but could also embarrass the affected member of the Royal Family.
2. Tap Water
For the same reason, members of the British royal family are absolutely forbidden from drinking tap water, especially when visiting a foreign country. This precaution is designed to prevent them from becoming ill from ingesting unsafe water, and also, in this case, to avoid unpleasant, potentially painful and embarrassing ailments.
3. Garlic and Onion
And speaking of embarrassment: the list of foods prohibited at public and private ceremonies includes a number of dishes that royals are prohibited from eating precisely to avoid unpleasant situations. At the top of the list are garlic and onion, absolutely banned to prevent bad breath, given that royals spend a lot of time in close contact with people of high social and political standing, especially at official events.
4. Pasta (Especially With Sauce)
During banquets, lunches and gala dinners you will never see a member of the Royal Family enjoying a good plate of pasta: not only would it be inappropriate to get your hands dirty with sauce, but if you use long pasta shapes like spaghetti you could make embarrassing noises that are completely unbecoming of royalty, who must always maintain an impeccable appearance as required by etiquette.
5. Foie Gras
There's a completely different reason why foie gras will never be served at public dinners, and not just those of the Royal Family. It was banned in 2008 at the initiative of King Charles III: the then prince, in fact, is a staunch environmentalist and banned foie gras because he opposed the cruel practice of slaughtering geese to obtain this creamy dish made from their livers.
Of course, exceptions to the rule can happen. One of the most famous episodes of violation of food prohibitions once again involves King Charles III: in the late 1880s, when he was invited to lunch during a visit to the Marche region, he tasted spaghetti with mussels for the first time and liked it so much that he even asked for seconds.
The Royal Family Can't Eat Rectangular Sandwiches
In the documentary Secrets of the Royal Kitchen, which aired in 2018, former royal chef Graham Newbould revealed the royals' culinary habits, drawing on his experience of two years at Buckingham Palace and six years at Kensington Palace.
Among the many things he mentioned, there is a prohibition that particularly struck him and which is in fact perhaps the strangest: the royal family has an absolute ban on eating rectangular or square-shaped sandwiches and tramezzini.
The typical shape of English sandwiches, a must-have accompaniment to the 5pm tea ritual, is linked to an ancient superstition within the Royal Family according to which anyone who presents them with food with pointed edges is trying to overthrow the throne of England; furthermore, according to superstition, this shape resembles that of a coffin and is therefore a bad omen.
It seems that as early as the 19th century, Prince Albert, husband of the famous Queen Victoria, refused to eat rectangular rolls and sandwiches. But this doesn't mean these delicious preparations were banned at court: they were simply served in a circular shape and were called "jam pennies" for their resemblance to a penny. Queen Elizabeth loved them filled with butter and jam, but the royals were also offered savoury fillings.
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