queen guilty pleasure burgers

The Queen enjoys burgers in the most unexpected way - and it's so indulgent

Who knew the monarch was a fan of burgers?

Parenting Editor
August 8, 2022

The royal family are said to enjoy dining out on fast food just as much as us regular folk, and when the Queen stays at her Scottish summer residence Balmoral during the summer, she is even known to eat burgers.

RELATED: Royal kings and queens of the grill! When Prince William, Kate Middleton & more barbecue

While our guilty pleasure looks much like a McDonald's Big Mac meal, the monarch's favourite treat is far from the £4.79 fast-food favourite. In true royal style, Her Majesty's former chef, Darren McGrady, explained how he would make burgers from the deer the royals would shoot at Balmoral, and he would then stuff the venison with other ingredients, including cranberries. How indulgent!

WATCH: The Queen's daily diet

If that's not enough of a surprise already, did you know that the British monarch eats her burger in an unconventional way? Chef Darren previously shared some fascinating information on how the Queen eats a burger, and we're amazed.

Speaking to Insider, Darren said: "Her Majesty's Victorian upbringing dictates that the only thing you would pick up and eat with your fingers is afternoon tea." She, therefore, does not eat fast food but does enjoy a burger now and again.

MORE: Duchess Kate and husband Prince William's favourite home-cooked meals

READ: 10 showstopping royal birthday cakes revealed

The Queen dresses in a more relaxed way at home in Scotland

"They would have burgers, but not the buns. So they would eat it with their knife and fork," he added.

Well, that's a new one. A burger without a bun, and not in one's hand? We're not sure we'd be able to follow this protocol… unless we were dining with Her Majesty, perhaps.

READ: Royals who barbecue! When Prince William, Meghan Markle & more take to the grill

The 'no finger food' rule amongst royalty also causes an issue when it comes to fruit.

Chef Darren, who was head chef in the kitchens of Buckingham Palace from 1982 to 1993, has also revealed how the Queen eats bananas.

The monarch prefers her burger without the bun

The monarch is said to cut off the top and bottom of the fruit, then slice the skin lengthways, before cutting the banana into small pieces to pick at with her knife and fork.

READ: The £23k menu at Prince George, Prince Louis & Princess Charlotte's school revealed

And if pineapples were on the menu at Buckingham Palace, they would have to be "hollowed out" in order to be sliced and inserted back into the pineapple, before being eaten using cutlery.

Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up to HELLO Daily! for the best royal, celebrity and lifestyle coverage

Email Address

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Food

See more