Late Queen’s surprisingly simple breakfast ritual that didn’t include Prince Philip

A former royal chef has revealed the late Queen’s disciplined breakfast routine, and while mealtimes always stayed the same, her habits were surprisingly simple

Despite the grandeur of royal life, Queen Elizabeth II’s breakfast routine was far more humble than most would expect – and one she preferred to take alone.

According to a former royal chef, the late monarch maintained a strict and disciplined daily schedule, beginning with a solo breakfast served in her room at exactly 9am.

And while 20 chefs were on standby to prepare anything she might desire, the Queen would typically help herself to a bowl of cereal from a Tupperware container.

“The Queen’s breakfast was at 9am, served in her room,” former royal chef Darren McGrady told Heart Bingo. “She’d help herself to cereal from a Tupperware container, especially Special K, even though there were 20 chefs available to cook anything.”

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This routine was said to come from her wartime upbringing and her preference for structure and simplicity. Mealtimes, the chef confirmed, were “fixed,” and never subject to change.

He added: “Meal times were fixed. The Queen was very strict and disciplined. Contrary to popular belief, she never called for food at odd hours. They had set meals, and if they wanted something in between, there was always fruit or chocolates in their rooms.”

Her husband, Prince Philip, however, followed his own path when it came to the morning meal. More adventurous than the Queen in his tastes, the late Duke of Edinburgh opted for bold, traditional fare.

“Prince Philip, on the other hand, enjoyed more adventurous breakfasts like deviled kidneys,” Darren revealed.

Despite ruling for seven decades, the late Queen didn’t like anything too extravagant or luxurious, instead saving those meals for state banquets.

“We didn’t do anything over-the-top extravagant,” the chef said. “The Queen was very frugal, likely due to her wartime upbringing. Ingredients like lobster, caviar, and foie gras were reserved for state banquets. On normal days, she was perfectly happy with comfort food, so we cooked meals like cottage pie.”

Even her dietary preferences reflected simplicity over spectacle. While the Queen had a well-known sweet tooth – particularly for dark chocolate – she also had firm rules on what wasn’t allowed in her meals.

“There weren’t banned foods, but the Queen didn’t like garlic or strong onions, viewing them as antisocial. So we didn’t use garlic in her meals.”

And when it came to guests, there was no pandering to modern food trends inside Buckingham Palace.

“During my 11 years with the Queen, we didn’t have a single vegetarian, gluten-free, or lactose-intolerant guest,” the chef said. “If you dined with the Queen, you ate what the Queen ate. If you didn’t like it, you’d stop for a McDonald’s on the way home.”