We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Queen Elizabeth, 96, is just like everyone else when it comes to having certain food preferences. Her Majesty is known to prefer simple dishes packed full of fruit and vegetables over meals involving rich sauces and lots of flavours. While the Queen is very well travelled and has sampled lots of different foods, it is only expected that she occasionally comes across something she doesn’t like.
However, some of her more popular food aversions are because of centuries of royal superstitions that have passed down from generation to generation.
The most peculiar of these is certainly down to Her Majesty and other members of her family being unable to eat food in a certain shape as it is linked to the story that the person who presents the food to the royal is trying to cause damage to the monarchy.
The Queen has some of the most talented chefs in the world working for her and famously prefers simple and uncomplicated dishes, with some of her favourite meals being scrambled eggs with salmon and fish and chips.
But there is one vital rule that must be followed by those presenting her with her food at all times.
READ MORE: Princess Anne’s ‘most annoying’ habit exposed by Zara Tindall
In the documentary Secrets of the Royal Kitchen, former royal chef Graham Newbould revealed: “The royals never have square sandwiches because tradition has it that anyone presenting them with pointed-edged food is trying to overthrow the throne of England.”
Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, is also said to have subscribed to superstitious beliefs at meal times as he allegedly believed eating coffin-shaped food was unlucky.
When it comes to the Queen’s favourite sandwich, her go-to has reportedly remained the same for the last nine decades.
Former royal chef Darren McGrady worked for the family for 15 years and now shares behind-the-scenes stories on his YouTube channel.
In one video to mark the return of garden parties at Buckingham Palace, McGrady revealed that one of the Queen’s favourite afternoon treats is jam pennies.
He said: “The Queen was served jam pennies in the nursery as a little girl, she’s had them for afternoon tea ever since.”
He continued: “Simple, just bread and jam with a little butter – usually strawberry jam.
“We’d make the jam at Balmoral Castle with the gorgeous Scottish strawberries from the gardens.”
READ MORE: Queen issues ‘deeply saddening’ news as she carries on working
Another sandwich that the Queen is known to be fond of is a simple tuna mayonnaise.
Former royal chef, Owen Hodgson, told The Telegraph that the Queen’s favourite sandwich was tuna mayonnaise.
She reportedly likes her sandwich well buttered and served with thin slices of cucumber, and a sprinkle of pepper.
The Royal Family has lots of rules that they are required to follow, particularly when it comes to food.
Social etiquette expert William Hanson said: “Yes, when dining with Her Majesty, no one should begin until the Queen begins eating.
“Similarly, when the Queen’s cutlery goes into the finished position everyone else should follow suit—regardless of whether there is food left on their own plates.”
Queen Elizabeth also has a long rule about food she avoids, particularly carbohydrates.
The monarch is said to never eat starches while dining alone, according to former chef Darren McGrady.
See today’s front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive.