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How Princess Kate broke the Queen's golden rule by revealing this private detail

The late monarch would never reveal this personal detail about herself…

Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
January 29, 2023
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There are several rules that come with being part of the royal family, from dress codes to travel protocol. Most unusual, arguably, are the royal family's rules around food, which prevent them from eating everything from seafood to garlic, amongst other popular cuisines.

The late Queen Elizabeth II reportedly never revealed her favourite food, and remained tight-lipped about her cuisine preferences throughout her reign. The Princess of Wales, however, has frequently broken the late monarch's tradition - and is often extremely open about her favourite foods and love for cooking at home with her children George, Charlotte and Louis.

WATCH: Discover foods the royal family NEVER eat

It is believed the monarch chose to keep her favourite food private because she didn't want to be served the same dishes at every official engagement. We can all agree too much of a good thing, can be a bad thing!

Gordon Rayner, former royal correspondent for The Telegraph, once said he’d discovered this fact from a royal staff member. "As one of her staff told me, ‘If she said she had a favourite meal she would never get served anything else," he revealed.

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Princess Kate memorably broke the Queen's golden food rule back in 2018 during her visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she chatted to four-year-old Rafael Chana, from East Preston, who was waiting for a heart transplant.

queen© Photo: Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II never revealed her favourite meal

Rafael revealed that he liked olives, to which Kate replied: "I used to eat lots and lots of olives when I was little as well." When the young patient added that he also likes pasta, Kate revealed: "Charlotte likes pasta too."

READ: Princess Kate's super healthy royal diet - see her day on a plate

Royal reporter Rebecca English later posted on her Twitter page: "The [Princess of Wales] revealed today that her daughter, Princess Charlotte, loves olives and she encourages both her and Prince George to cook with her."

prince william kate middleton food© Photo: Getty Images

The Duchess isn't afraid to share her love for food

The Queen may have been reluctant to share her favourite cuisines, but the Princess of Wales was also quick to share her love for curry and spicy foods at an engagement in Scotland with Prince William.

The royal was asked if she made curry at home, to which she replied: "Yes, I love it."

Prince William laughed and added: "She likes a bit of spice. I'm not too good with spice."

princess charlotte© Photo: Getty Images

We wonder if Princess Charlotte is now treated to olives at every meal?

Despite her reluctance to spill the beans about her favourite meal of all time, there is one treat we know Her Majesty couldn't get enough of. "The Queen is a total chocoholic," revealed former royal chef, Darren McGrady.

"The chocolate biscuit cake is the only cake that goes up to the royal table every day until it has all gone – sometimes this means it following her to Windsor Castle for the weekend," Darren told HELLO!.

"I remember as a young chef travelling from Paddington to Windsor one Friday morning with a half-eaten chocolate biscuit cake packed neatly and tightly in a biscuit tin, and wrapped in Clingfilm, perched on my knee with the fear of God in me that I would lose or drop the thing! It was her favourite. And when Prince William first tried it, he loved it and then requested it as his groom's cake [at the Royal wedding in 2011]."

ROYAL FOOD: How to make the Queen’s favourite chocolate cake - see simple recipe

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