What Prince William And Kate Middleton's Children Really Eat In A Day
Prince William and Princess Catherine aren't exactly the picture of relatability, but that's not to say they haven't tried to maintain some sense of normalcy around their three children. Outside all of the public engagements and glamorous events, the future king and queen of the U.K. and its many realms are very much hands-on parents. It's something that the couple seemingly adapted from Catherine's own parents, Michael and Carole Middleton. "William has based his children's upbringing on the Middleton model — three children, affluent, but hard-working parents, and lots of love in the house," royal expert Duncan Larcombe once told OK! magazine. Over the years, William and Catherine have been spotted doing school runs, going on low-key family vacations, visiting theme parks, and even taking their children trick-or-treating during Halloween.
Meanwhile, just like other families, William and Catherine's royal brood also gather around food, whether it's for a grand occasion or just another incredible meal together (although the Prince and Princess of Wales don't always eat with their children). And when it comes to food that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis typically eat, nutrition seems to be top of mind. That said, even William and Catherine know that the occasional treats keep mealtimes interesting and fun too.
The royal kids have cereal and fruit for breakfast
Prince William and Princess Catherine believe in starting the day right. And for their children, that means having something that is packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Back in 2020, the Princess of Wales paid a visit to The London Early Years Foundation's Stockwell Gardens Nursery & Preschool to help serve breakfast and chat with the youngsters in the classroom. That day, the menu at the school consisted of bran flakes, whole wheat biscuit cereal, porridge, and puffed wheat. There were also several kinds of fruits that kids could have with their cereal. And as it turns out, the spread was also similar to the breakfast that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have at home.
"She mentioned to three of the children that her own children enjoy apples and cereal in the morning, which sparked a conversation with the children about their own preference of fruits," school manager Michelle Samuels recalled while speaking with Today. Back in 2011, Princess Catherine was even pictured doing her own grocery run at Tesco with eagle-eyed fans spotting a box of Kellogg's cereal in her shopping cart.
Meanwhile, it also seems that apples aren't the only fruit that the couple's oldest son, Prince George, favors for breakfast. Much like his father, the young prince is reportedly fond of bananas. And while Prince William grew up on treats like banana flan and banana ice cream, the royal couple's oldest son asks for sliced bananas on his morning cereal.
Pancakes are a fun treat
In the royal household of Prince William and Princess Catherine, pancakes are not necessarily served all the time or even eaten for breakfast. Rather, when this family indulges in pancakes, they may enjoy them later in the day, so long as it's Shrove Tuesday.
Shrove Tuesday, which is celebrated exactly 47 days before Easter Sunday, is a tradition that dates back to A.D. 600. At that time Pope St Gregory imposed strict fasting rules throughout Lent, which meant that Christians couldn't consume any animal meat or animal products during this period. Hence, families often cooked pancakes to use up their leftover eggs, milk, and butter before fasting. And while the French call this day Mardi Gras, the English also refer to Shrove Tuesday as Pancake Day.
Centuries later, many British families still celebrate Pancake Day, including the royals. While visiting the Oxford House Nursing Home in February 2023, Princess Catherine revealed that her children would be making some pancakes later that evening. That said, the princess was also quick to admit that her pancake-making skills weren't as good as she would have liked. According to Bucks Free Press, Catherine revealed that her pancakes "always get stuck on the floor or on the ceiling." She still tried to make a pancake at the nursing home, though she struggled to keep the batter in form as she tried to flip it. When she finally executed the maneuver, the pancake was already in pieces. "Definitely don't eat that one!" she remarked.
Princess Catherine encourages her kids to eat vegetables
Vegetables appear to be a meal staple for the Wales children. After all, Princess Catherine, their mother, enjoys having veggies in her meals, reportedly snacking on raw vegetables, tucking into a plate of vegetable kebabs, and opting for a watermelon salad with cucumbers, avocado, and feta cheese when she prefers something light and refreshing. Hence, it's no surprise that the royal kids have also picked up this habit.
For instance, the young Waleses like one particular vegetable that's grown in the royal gardens. It's a revelation that Queen Camilla once made back in 2013. "I take all my grandchildren down to the garden and they spend hours and hours eating peas," the queen, then the Duchess of Cornwall, told the young students at Godolphin Junior School, according to Express. "They eat and they eat until they are almost sick." As it turns out too, Queen Camilla can't resist snacking on raw peas herself. "If you take them straight from the pod they are delicious and really sweet," she remarked.
And while Prince George didn't exactly get fired up about eating vegetables when he was a baby, his younger siblings don't have a problem eating them, so long as it's the right vegetable. For instance, Princess Catherine once revealed that their only daughter, Princess Charlotte, likes snacking on olives. Meanwhile, Prince Louis, the youngest of the bunch, is fond of one particular superfood. During her appearance in Mary Berry's "A Berry Royal Christmas," Princess Catherine revealed, "Louis absolutely loves beetroot."
Cheesy pasta reigns supreme in the Wales household
For as long as Prince William and Princess Catherine have been together, cooking has been a part of their (not-so-normal) daily lives. Once the royal couple had their children, they also continued the tradition of preparing easy and delicious daily meals at home no matter how busy they got. And while it's typically Catherine who does the cooking, she also gets some help from Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. This is especially the case when she's making everyone's favorite: cheesy pasta.
While visiting the Lavender Primary School in honor of Children's Mental Health Week in 2019, Princess Catherine happily talked about how much the young royals enjoy helping out in the kitchen. She also revealed how they would divide tasks amongst themselves when preparing cheesy pasta. "One stirs the flour, one puts the milk and butter in," Matthew Kleiner-Mann, the chief executive of the Ivy Learning Trust told media outlets, according to People.
Cheesy pasta sure seems to be a family classic. As former royal chef Darren McGrady shared in a YouTube video, macaroni and cheese was one of Prince William and Prince Harry's favorite sides when they were growing up. McGrady kept the dish simple; no need to gild the lily. "It's so easy to make from home, all you need to put in there is butter, flour, milk, cream, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, and salt," he said.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte like making pizza
Longtime fans of Prince William and Princess Catherine may know that the couple have an affinity for pizza. Over the years, the Prince and Princess of Wales have reportedly enjoyed a slice (or two) whenever the opportunity presents itself. For instance, Prince William reportedly had some Pizza Express pies delivered to St. Mary's Hospital in London on the day that their eldest son, Prince George, was safely delivered at the hospital's Lindo Wing. Meanwhile, when Catherine was pregnant with Princess Charlotte in 2014, it is believed that the princess also ordered some pies for herself and her team. They were delivered to her suite at The Carlyle, which was where Catherine stayed while in New York.
Years later, the love for pizza remains strong in this royal household with the Waleses even preparing their pies from scratch. During a visit to the St Luke's Community Centre in 2018 just before the Commonwealth Big Lunch, Princess Catherine revealed that she has made pizza dough at home with the help of both Prince George and Princess Charlotte. "They love it because they can get their hands messy," the princess remarked, according to Hello! magazine.
And while it's unclear what toppings the royal children prefer on their pizza, Princess Catherine once revealed that she prefers bacon to pepperoni. Perhaps the children feel the same way, although Princess Charlotte might like a pizza with lots of olives too. As for Prince George, he might be intrigued by a dessert pizza with chocolate and bananas.
Prince George is a big fan of carbonara
Aside from cheesy pasta, there is another pasta dish that Prince William and Princess Catherine's eldest son enjoys. For Prince George, the British royal family's second-in-line to the throne, nothing is more irresistible than a bowl of spaghetti carbonara.
Celebrity chef Aldo Zilli revealed as much while speaking with Daily Mail's FEMAIL. Zilli has shared several conversations with Prince William over the years and as it turns out, the prince is fond of talking about his three children and the types of dishes that they like. And once Chef Zilli learned that Prince George loves pasta carbonara, he offered to make some for the young royal himself. "I'm waiting for the call to go and cook it for him," he told the publication.
Like cheesy pasta/macaroni and cheese, carbonara is a relatively simple dish to whip up. A classic Italian carbonara is usually made up of just a few things: guanciale, egg yolks, spaghetti, black pepper, and lots of freshly grated Pecorino cheese. Needless to say, these ingredients work royally well together.
Ice cream is a classic palace treat
The British royal family has always loved ice cream. In fact, Prince William and Princess Catherine themselves have been spotted enjoying the frozen treat together a few times. For instance, back in 2020, the royal couple had a quick ice cream date at Joe's Ice Cream Parlour. Meanwhile, in 2021, Prince William and Princess Catherine also had some ice cream when they visited Anstruther Fish Bar, their old lunch spot while attending the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Hence, it's no surprise that the Prince and Princess of Wales would also treat their three children to this frozen dessert once in a while.
All the way back in 2018, for example, Princess Charlotte had an ice cream cone while attending the Houghton Horse Trials in Norfolk with her mother and Prince George. Just after Easter in 2022, Catherine was spotted taking a casual stroll around a London park with her two oldest children. At some point, it also appears that the trio spotted an ice cream vendor and Catherine decided to grab some Mr. Whippy soft-serve ice cream cones for everyone. And in 2016, George posed with an ice cream cone and the family's dog for one of his birthday portraits. The photo, which showed George offering the treat to Lupo the dog, sparked controversy.
Curry is a family favorite
Prince William and Princess Catherine may keep a lot of details about their family life private, but the royal couple has always been open when it comes to their love of curry. During a visit to BBC Radio 1 in 2017, Catherine even revealed that curry is their takeaway of choice (William also clarified that instead of having it delivered to the palace, someone usually picks it up for the couple). And while they didn't elaborate on what type of curry they usually enjoy having, the Princess of Wales reportedly ate vegetarian curry during her early years with the royal family. "The Duchess has come in several times for our curries, before she got married, and quite a few times afterwards," Bucklebury store owner Chan Shingadia told Us Weekly. He also revealed that Catherine also had vegetarian curry (which was prepared by his wife) while the princess was pregnant with Prince George.
Now, William and Catherine may have ordered a lot of curries in the past, but it seems that Catherine has also learned how to make the dish herself. However, she often runs into an issue, and it involves heat. "The children have a portion with no spice, yours is medium," the Princess of Wales was heard telling her husband while attending an event in London, according to People. "And I quite like it hot." And while Prince William, Prince George, and Prince Louis don't really prefer spicy food, Princess Catherine revealed, "Charlotte is pretty good with heat."
Prince William and Princess Catherine's little ones love a good burger
Every once in a while, Prince William and Princess Catherine prefer to eat out instead of cooking at home. And when that happens, the royal couple, along with their three children, sometimes make their way to a local pub and dig into a laidback meal. On one occasion, that meal happened to involve burgers, one of Prince Williams' favorite foods.
Back in 2021, the Prince and Princess of Wales partook in a pub lunch with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis and the royal couple surprised everyone when they ordered burgers and chips for the whole bunch. "They were laughing and chatting and clearly enjoying each other's company," one witness, who saw the family have their meal in an outdoor dining area, told The Sun. "They had their pet dog, a spaniel with them, and they were all laughing. There was one particularly touching moment where one of the children got upset because their food was too hot." Luckily, Prince William stepped in and helped one of the children right away.
Meanwhile, aside from the traditional meaty burgers, it is also likely that William and Catherine had already introduced their children to veggie burgers. After all, the royal couple memorably prepared some with a group of young scouts in 2021. At the same time, William also memorably served veggie burgers from a food truck in 2023. The British royal's meat-free patty was developed using innovations from winners of The Earthshot Prize in 2022.
Princess Catherine makes cakes for her kids
Like many parents, Prince William and Princess Catherine both believe the celebrations are never complete without cake, so much so that the Princess of Wales even takes on the job of making it herself. During her appearance on "A Berry Royal Christmas" in 2019, Catherine even revealed that she often stayed up until midnight just preparing the children's birthday treat with a cake mix. "I make far too much," the royal also revealed. "But I love it."
Meanwhile, as he got older, Prince George also came to realize that cakes could also be a force for good. Back in 2022, it was revealed that the Waleses' oldest son even put together a little event to help raise funds for the animal conservation charity Tusk. "Prince George very sweetly did a little cake sale to raise money for Tusk during lockdown and wrote a very sweet card about it, clearly demonstrating his concern for Africa's wildlife," Charlie Mayhew, who serves as the chief executive officer of Tusk, told GB News. And while it's unclear how much Prince George managed to raise from his bake sale, the event would have likely been a hit among those who managed to attend. One thing's for sure, the future British king is as sweet as can be.