We’ve previously turned our attention to King Charles III’s very visible commitment to sustainable agriculture and organic farming. Today, we follow up with some observations on the dining ‘com-mandments’ laid down for King Charles and his family…
I was motivated to write this post after viewing an online slide show about the King’s dining habits and food preferences. Specifically, I was intrigued about his deep involvement with future-forward farming techniques. Not to mention his side hustle – little known outside the UK – involving his own organic foods label.
Did you know?…
His Majesty Charles III is often referred to, casually, as ‘Britain’s best-known organic gardener’. His Highgrove estate (also known as ‘the home farm’) has been transformed into a sustainability show-case. And, along with his other country properties, it’s become part of a ‘going concern’ as the Brits like to say.
If you didn’t already know, Charles’ farming enterprise has spawn-ed its own organic foods brand, Duchy Originals. No small enter-prise, that – bringing in the equivalent of more than (US)$5 mil-lion a year in sales.
The brand is being marketed across the UK in partnership with Britain’s far-flung Waitrose supermarket chain as Waitrose Duchy Organics. Its extensive product line includes Meat, Poultry and Fish; Fruits and Vegetables; and Dairy and Eggs. A separate pack-aged goods line includes: Rice, Pasta & Pulses; Jarred Goods, Pick-les & Olives; Condiments, Dressings & Marinades; Breakfast Cereals; Jam, Honey & Spreads; Biscuits; and Sugar & Home Baking supplies.
Broad mind; narrow diet
As broad as the King’s interest in organic foods is. his personal diet is comparatively narrow. There are reasons for that, beyond his own sometimes quirky personal preferences.
He simply can’t tolerate…
- Foie Gras: Banned from all royal residences due to ethical concerns about the force-feeding pro-cess, a long-standing ban from his time as Prince of Wales.
- Garlic: Firmly off the menu for official engagements to prevent bad breath, a rule confirmed by Queen Camilla, in this YouTube video.
- Sugar (in Tea): He takes honey in his tea instead, avoiding added sugar.
- Chocolate: While Queen Elizabeth loved it, King Charles isn’t a big fan.
His family honours his wariness about…
- Shellfish: Avoided due to high risk of food poisoning, so it’s avoided by the family when dining.
- Rare Meat: Also avoided to minimize food poisoning risks, notes this delicious.com.au article.
- Spicy Foods: To avoid stomach upsets, according to this lovefood.com article.
If you’re thinking of entertaining King Charles…
The following foods are tightly restricted or forbidden in his presence:
- Square Sandwiches: According to royal tradition, sandwiches must have rounded edges. A super-stition suggests that anyone serving ‘pointed’ food may be attempting to overthrow the throne.
- Out-of-Season Produce: The King is a staunch advocate for organic farming and sustainability. He reportedly refuses to eat fruits or vegetables that are out of season, such as strawberries in Janu-ary. This in spite of the fact that his agricultural infrastructure includes greenhouses, which could deliver almost any produce item at any time of the year.
- Highly Spicy Foods: King Charles reportedly dislikes ‘hot and strong flavors’, and generally avoids chili and heavy spices.
- Take your cue from the Palace kitchen: Prepare dishes in small batches to avoid waste.
My take
In the past, British monarchs rarely dove any deeper into the commercial realm than bestowing their ‘Royal Warrant‘ on certain products they really, really liked. The award of a Royal Warrant is like being anointed by God for any brand or merchant which is fortunate enough to merit such recognition… It warms my cockles, as a Boomer-Generation Monarchist, to see the new head of the Royal House is a hands-on type, rather than just an ivory tower figurehead, and willing to get his hands dirty!
~ Maggie J.