There are many protocols that the British royals are expected to follow, and this extends to the food they eat, too. Apparently, the Queen and other senior royals, including Prince Charles, Prince William and Kate, are all advised against eating shellfish due to its risk of carrying a foodborne illness.
The family is also advised to avoid rare meat, overly-exotic or spicy dishes and drinking tap water in foreign country, all as a preventative measure to avoid illness and food poisoning. The restrictions may prove problematic for Prince Harry's fiancée Meghan Markle, who is a self-proclaimed foodie and loves seafood, previously sharing her recipe for a grilled Caesar salad with shrimp with TODAY in July 2016. However, it is thought that not all members of the royal family always adhere to the strict protocol, with Prince Charles said to enjoy eating shellfish on occasion.
The royal family are advised to avoid eating shellfish
That is not the only rule the royals must follow at mealtimes; according to royal etiquette, anyone dining with the Queen – including members of the royal family – must follow her every move and do what she does. So if Her Majesty stops eating her meal, everyone else must stop eating too.
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Unfortunately for anyone hoping to enjoy a big meal at a state banquet or family dinner, the Queen is "not a foodie" according to former royal chef Darren McGrady. Speaking to HELLO! Online, Darren revealed that Her Majesty often preferred to stick to the same dishes. He also said that each week, a red leather-bound book of menus, written in French, would be sent to the Queen for her to check over.
There are a number of rules the royal family must follow
"She would put a line through the ones she didn't want," Darren said. "Sometimes she'd put a line through it all and put something different, like if she was having dinner with Prince Andrew, his favourite was crème brulee with Sandringham oranges."