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pregnant kate middleton, meghan markle, princess diana, sarah ferguson against striped backdrop© Getty

Royal mums' strange pregnancy cravings: from Princess Kate's spicy dish to Meghan Markle's healthy snack

Even royal mums, including Princess Beatrice, get pregnancy cravings

Katie Daly
Lifestyle Writer
July 17, 2024
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Unusual food cravings are a common part of pregnancy and even royal mums can't get off lightly. 

Though the likes of the Princess of Wales eat a well-rounded expertly-prepared diet, it has been known for the healthy lifestyle to be put to one side when pregnancy cravings call. 

Join HELLO! in taking a look at the most unexpected pregnancy cravings putting the royal chefs to the ultimate test…

The Princess of Wales

A pregnant Kate Middleton in a baby pink dress© Max Mumby/Indigo
Princess Kate struggled with morning sickness health her pregnancies

Pregnant women are often told that spicy food can help induce labour leading up to one's due date, but it appears Kate was enjoying a hint of spice in her diet throughout her pregnancy with Prince George.

Charles, Camilla and Kate at a Buckingham Palace garden party© Getty
Kate ate spicy food during pregnancy

The royal indulged in a homemade vegetable curry cooked for her by Indian couple Chan and Hash Shingadia, who runs the Spar shop in Kate's village of Upper Bucklebury, Berkshire. 

"She likes my wife's cooking," said 53-year-old Hash at the time. "We cook for her mum and family," and Chan hinted that the dish was a vegetarian one. "I'm vegetarian, I only cook vegetarian curry."

Kate Middleton in pink overcoat© Neil Mockford/Alex Huckle
The Princess likes pickle on toast

According to Us Weekly, Prince William's wife was also partial to pizza while pregnant with her second child, Princess Charlotte. The publication revealed how she ordered three pizzas to her suite at New York's Carlyle hotel which included spicy sausage and prosciutto toppings.

The pregnant Princess of Wales in a white polka dot mini dress at William van Cutsem's wedding© Getty
The Princess of Wales likes avocados

The Princess struggled with morning sickness during her third pregnancy with Prince Louis. Kate would eat a thinly sliced pickle on brown toast to remedy the sickness and was also partial to an avocado. 

Meghan Markle

meghan markle pregnant © Getty
Meghan follows a healthy lifestyle

Meghan's devout following of a healthy lifestyle is no secret and her pregnancy with Prince Archie was no exception. 

In the co-authored royal biography Finding Freedom, Omid Scobie penned: "Meghan's mum Doria had arrived at Frogmore Cottage to help her daughter prepare for the birth…Harry was constantly looking after his wife as well, making sure she was physically comfortable and getting her snacks.

Prince Harry in suit walking with Meghan in ivory caped dress© Getty
Meghan enjoyed Mexican food pre-birth

"Guacamole and crudites were as close as she got to junk food," he added. "Not because she doesn't like it; she just didn't crave it.

Prince Harry did however reveal that he and his wife indulged in a takeaway shortly before the birth of their daughter, Princess Lilibet.

Meghan Markle wearing black dress while pregnant with Lilibet© Getty
Meghan at her home in Montecito while pregnant with Lilibet

In his memoir Spare, the Prince wrote: "We drove calmly, sanely to the hospital, where our bodyguards once again fed us. This time they brought burgers and fries from In-N-Out. And fajitas from a local Mexican restaurant for Meg.

"We ate and ate and then did the Baby Mama dance around the hospital room. Nothing but joy and love in that room," Harry added.

Princess Diana

Prince Philip standing next to a pregnant Princess Diana© Tim Graham
Diana had a private chef who catered to her pregnancy cravings

Back in 2012, the MailOnline revealed what the late Princess Diana had craved during her pregnancy with Prince William.

Princess Diana pregnant in green dress© Getty
Princess Diana two weeks before giving birth to Prince William

In a note to her chef Mervyn Wycherley, Diana wrote: "To Mervie, please could I have a bacon sandwich for breakfast and a much-needed rest from our friend the tomato! D."

Princess Diana pregnant in pink dress© Getty
Princess Diana overate tomatoes while pregnant

It was a dose of salty protein for the royal but tomatoes were firmly off the menu.

Sarah Ferguson

sarah presenting charles with a prize © Getty
Sarah liked mackerel sandwhiches

The MailOnline also revealed the Duchess of York's unusual pregnancy craving while expecting Princess Beatrice. In 1988, Sarah was said to have eaten a lot of cheeseburgers and mayonnaise, plus mackerel sandwiches. 

sarah ferguson pregnant eugenie bump© Getty
Fergie liked a cheeseburger while pregnant

It was also reported that the then-wife of Prince Andrew continued to enjoy the odd glass of champagne.

Princess Beatrice

Beatrice and Edoardo at Royal Ascot© Getty
Beatrice is a mother of one

Sarah Ferguson's daughters own pregnancy cravings with her now two-year-old daughter Sienna have gone unreported. However, in an interview with HELLO!, celebrity nutritional therapist Gabriela Peacock, who has worked with Princess Beatrice, recommended probiotic foods, such as natural live yoghurt or sauerkraut for mothers-to-be, as well as ginger tea to combat morning sickness.

"I don't think you need to eat for two, but it's important to lean into your cravings – as long as you balance them with a healthy meal composition," Gabriela said. "It's common during pregnancy for women to eat a lot of carbs, but there are choices of carbohydrates.

two women at book launch© Getty
Princess Beatrice supported Gabriela at her recent book launch

DISCOVER: Everything Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have said about a third baby

"If you have pasta, have wholegrain, chickpea, or pea pasta. And focus on eating protein with these carbohydrate cravings. Try switching the toppings, so if you don’t feel like chicken, try vegetarian sauces, tofu, or bolognese."

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