Royal Family
The Royal Family’s “Surprising” Dining Traditions Are Going Viral On TikTok
Including why Buckingham Palace menus are printed in French.
The British monarchy is admired globally for its devotion to strict royal tradition, and some longstanding royal dining habits have piqued the interest of monarchy enthusiasts online. Over on TikTok, stylist Miranda Holder delved into some of the traditions one would expect to see during a formal Buckingham Palace banquet, including the language used on the royal family menus — which came as a surprise to many.
“The menu would not be written in English,” Holder explains, revealing that it would instead be penned in French as this is “traditionally the official language of haute cuisine.” Later in the viral clip, Holder goes on to share that, when royal household staff would get elements of a dinner or recipe wrong, the late Queen Elizabeth II would keep a “special comments notebook and pen next to her while she dined for noting any feedback,” rather than picking her staff up on things directly.
Outlining the royal family’s love of “pomp and circumstance,” Holder also reveals that the end of every meal is “marked in a very special way.” She continues: “They simply have the royal Piper play the bagpipes.”
Fellow TikTokers shared their thoughts on the royal dining customs, with one commenting: “A real menu is always written in French!” Meanwhile, another wondered if the traditions will remain following the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022, asking: “Do you think these dining habits will stay in place?”
These aren’t the only royal dining traditions to have caught the attention of royal spectators in recent months. Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar, the former royal chef Darren McGrady disclosed that royal youngsters including Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are not permitted to attend official dinners with their parents for an important reason.
Meanwhile, chef McGrady also previously revealed to Bustle that Prince Harry, Prince William, and their late grandmother shared a love of a chocolatey dessert, and disclosed the real reason why Princess Diana wasn’t very fond of champagne and cocktails.
