Don't Expect To Catch Prince William Or King Charles Grabbing Lunch While Working
When it comes to the eating habits of the royal family, the prince is notably following in the king's footsteps. Prince William reportedly tries to refrain from grabbing a bite to eat while working. This trait runs in the family, as King Charles III is rarely spotted eating during royal engagements either. Many of their official outings occur during the day, such as William's trip to the Royal Rugby Cup in October 2023, which means lunch is the meal most often skipped by them.
In 2018, when then-Prince Charles celebrated his 70th birthday, his press team divulged this little-known fact, revealing, "The prince does not eat lunch," as one of their 70 facts about HRH The Prince of Wales (via the official royal website). Later, Julian Payne, his former press secretary, gave credence to this published fact.
He told The Mirror, "The king doesn't eat lunch; so, an early lesson I learned when out on the road with him was to have a big breakfast or bring a few snack bars with you to keep you going." William's team hasn't officially confirmed that he abstains from lunch. However, seeing him eat during the workday is a rare occurrence.
They need a hearty breakfast to sustain them
During a November 2022 trip to Cornwall, Prince William's diet was shared in a detailed nutrition report. According to Cornwall Live, his breakfast consists of two eggs, buttered wholemeal toast, and tea (reportedly never coffee, which he saves for later in the day). The Prince of Wales was interviewed by nutritionist Monique Hyland during the outing, who divulged, "He was okay to start with as he had a healthy breakfast, but then he admitted someone had got him a 'rubbish sandwich' for lunch, and he had a chocolate brownie and a glass of red wine."
Even if William managed to scarf down the less-than-appetizing sandwich, he likely didn't do so in public, preferring to eat his afternoon meal behind closed doors or out on the road. Like father like son, King Charles III also enjoys eggs as a breakfast staple. Hello! magazine reports that a particular favorite is cheesy baked eggs; the official recipe for the morning delicacy was shared by Clarence House's X page (formerly Twitter) if you'd like to copy it at home. Along with the eggs, the king indulges in another avian-related food, though probably not what you think.
Tina Brown shared in her book, "The Palace Papers," that a guest at Highgrove arrived at breakfast to discover "Charles' preferred heap of Linseed," noting that His Majesty likes certain nuts and seeds first thing in the morning. So, it's a hearty, egg-rich breakfast for both working royals who need to get through the day without partaking in a spot of lunch.
There are official rules about eating in public
Choosing to skip lunch likely has more to do with personal preference than rules for Prince William and King Charles III. However, there are official royal guidelines about eating in general while in the presence of the public. According to former royal chef Darren McGrady, The Firm cannot partake in certain foods while dining in public, offering up two of them — Foie gras and shellfish — in an interview with The Telegraph (via Marie Claire). No full explanation was offered as to why these things are off-limits in particular. However, they may simply be too hard to eat politely in front of an audience.
As for the foie gras, Charles banned the dish from every one of the royal residences (an addition to his 2008 ban in which only his homes abstained). His Majesty even reportedly sent confirmation to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The king is known for being cognizant of his impact on the planet. Possibly, foie gras in public was banned for moral as well as image reasons.
Regardless of why or what food, many royals avoid eating in public because the press photos can be quite unglamorous. The Prince and Princess of Wales fell victim to this when they tried geoduck in 2016 while on a royal tour of Canada. We can't blame the royals for wanting to skip lunch; we would probably prefer a rumbling stomach in the afternoon than being photographed while eating, too.