princess anne diet

I tried Princess Anne's stomach-churning diet of tinned pies and smoked fish - watch what happened

The Princess Royal's peculiar day on a plate was royally challenging to stomach

Updated: February 26, 2023

When you're Princess Anne, breakfast, lunch and dinner have the potential to be quite a glamorous affair. The 72-year-old daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II no doubt has access to an army of private chefs and invites to many of the world's most renowned restaurants at her disposal - though practicality takes priority for this royal's daily diet.

There's no denying the Princess Royal has the most fascinating approach to food. It was to my horror, therefore, to discover the mother-of-two dines out on tinned pies, smoked fish and blackened bananas for breakfast when I agreed to take on her daily diet.

From buying affordable supermarket staples to serving her dinner guests 15p choc ices (yes, really), the Princess Royal is most down-to-earth and eats some rather unusual dishes. Find out exactly what dish made my stomach churn when I ate the royal's favourite foods in the video below.

WATCH: HELLO!'s Lifestyle Writer Georgia eats like Princess Anne

So what exactly does Princess Anne's daily diet look like? HELLO! have all the answers below…

What does Princess Anne eat for breakfast?

Princess Anne reportedly likes to start her day with a bowl of fruit, kickstarting her metabolism with a naturally sugary kick – but the way she likes to eat her bananas might make your stomach churn.

It has been reported that the Queen's daughter often has a bizarre request for her bananas – preferring them to be out of date. Former royal chef Darren McGrady previously told TODAY: "[Princess Anne] almost always preferred the bananas almost black - overripe - because they digest easier."

What does Princess Anne eat for lunch?

Although very little is known about the Princess' regular eating habits, Anne has been known to enjoy kippers, a form of smoked herring. The salty fish is most commonly eaten at breakfast with eggs, but makes a delicious lunch alternative when served in a salad, or paired with buttery new potatoes.

The royal's fondness for kippers was revealed by a complimentary letter she previously sent to Fortune Kippers, a 140-year-old company based in Whitby, Yorkshire.

Given Anne's sweet tooth and close relationship with her mother, it's also likely the royal shares a fondness for afternoon tea, which the Queen was said to enjoy every day.

© Photo: Getty Images

Darren previously revealed that the monarch loved to eat chocolate biscuit cake and ginger cake, and her favourite sandwiches are cucumber, egg and smoked salmon. We wonder if Anne likes the same?

What does Princess Anne eat for dinner?

According to the MailOnline, Anne has never been one for decadence or indulgence when it comes to mealtimes and has even been known to serve her dinner guests pork pies or "anything by Fray Bentos," a supermarket brand of tinned meat.

For when she's feeling more decadent, game is a common ingredient in Princess Anne's household. In light of her 70th birthday in 2020, Princess Anne guest-edited an edition of Country Life magazine, of which her contributions revealed her favourite dish – though it's not for everyone.

Anne told readers that devilled pheasant was her go-to supper, brought to life by Executive Chef of the Ritz, John Williams.

John told Country Life: "Basically, a couple of whole pheasants are poached, then taken off the bone, shredded and kept warm in the poaching juices. You just add freshly whipped cream, left in the fridge for an hour to stiffen, mixed with a good amount of Green Label mango chutney."

What does Princess Anne eat for dessert?

If the Princess Royal's fuss-free hosting habits are anything to live by, it's her grab-and-go dessert hack that takes the crown for being the most appealing. 

"After all, one wants everyone out of the house by 9.15pm at the latest," Princess Anne said of her dinner parties. "For pudding, I pass them a choc ice to eat in the car." Genius.

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