The Royal Family Used To Enjoy This Surprisingly Normal Tradition Together

When one thinks of British royal family traditions, they are often more highbrow than the ordinary family's: think dressing up for coronations, riding in carriages for Trooping the Colour, and attending state dinners. But as it turns out, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, did like to lead the royals in doing something that just about every family has experienced — family barbecues during the summertime.

Chef Darren McGrady worked for Elizabeth for years, and he told Food Bible the royals loved a good barbecue when they were together as a family up in Scotland at Balmoral. Balmoral is one of many royal residences, but it was one of Elizabeth's favorite places and she and the whole family frequently spent time there in late summer. Perhaps it was a beloved spot because the queen got to enjoy the simple pleasures of an outdoor barbecue with family.

McGrady said Philip would be in charge of the food; he "loved to cook and cared about foods and recipes. He'd go on to ask what we could marinate them with and what vegetables were in the garden.... Then he would be in charge of cooking the main course." Philip's kids and grandkids have confirmed his love of manning the grill. "He adored barbecuing," King Charles III said of his father. "He turned that into an interesting art form" (via BBC).

It wasn't just Prince Philip doing the work at the Balmoral barbecues. Princess Anne reportedly often helped get the first course together. And the queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, was apparently a fan of pancakes for dessert, particularly if they were paired with fresh berries and ice cream.

Queen Elizabeth II would even get in on the action, though her job came after the meal. She was apparently one to help wash the dishes, or at least rinse them. The work didn't go unnoticed, either. Margaret Thatcher, who was prime minister during the 1980s, once gave the queen a pair of rubber dishwashing gloves as a gift after Thatcher saw the queen doing dishes without any protection during a Balmoral visit.

As similar as the royal family barbecue sounds to one any of us might have, there were a few key differences. Food prep was done in the kitchens by staff, and the meal was still eaten on fine china with silver utensils; no paper plates and plastic forks for the queen. But overall, it still sounds like Balmoral was a place where the royals could relax, be themselves, and enjoy each other's company. The queen was even able to let her sense of humor shine through at these barbecues, with one former royal piper revealing that Elizabeth once playfully punched him in the arm over a joke about biting insects up in Scotland.