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The intricacies of the royal diet have always been a subject of intrigue, often providing a window into the personalities behind the crown. For Queen Elizabeth II, who radiated elegance until the graceful age of 96, her dining habits were no different.

From grilled fish to hearty salads, Her Majesty maintained a balanced diet with a regal peculiarity. A former royal chef, Darren McGrady, recently dished out some fascinating insights into the Queen’s unique fruit-eating methods. The revelations remind us all that, even in the realm of the ordinary, a monarch has her ways.

Queen Elizabeth refused to eat bananas ‘Like a Monkey’

Queen Elizabeth, who gracefully aged to 96, followed a nutritious eating routine. Often, she’d choose grilled fish or chicken accompanied by a duo of veggies and a hearty salad.

Although she enjoyed healthy eating habits, Elizabeth had a few quirks in her royal diet. Once a chef for the royal family, McGrady recently spilled some intriguing tidbits about Her Majesty’s dietary choices.

According to Express, McGrady highlighted the Queen’s particular approach to consuming fruit. As McGrady commented, “There is no eating like a monkey at Buckingham Palace.”

When it came to bananas, Elizabeth had a distinct eating style. Unlike most of us who peel and bite, Her Majesty preferred a more refined method.

McGrady explained how she would snip off the ends and slice the banana the long way. Elizabeth would then chop it into smaller pieces, which she’d elegantly eat with a fork.

Bananas were not the only fruit Her Majesty ate unconventionally

Eating a pear is usually as straightforward as it gets, right? Well, not for everyone. Queen Elizabeth, it seems, had her own twist on it.

McGrady divulged some secrets about how Elizabeth ate pears, at least in private. Needless to say, she went against just about every convention on this one.

Elizabeth ate the fruit like a boiled egg instead of just taking a bite out of the pear or dicing it up for a fruit salad.

“She eats her pears like boiled eggs. She’ll cut off the top and scoop out the insides with a spoon,” McGrady shared.

Even in casual snacking moments, Her Majesty always kept it classy! 

Elizabeth is not the only royal that McGrady cooked for over the years. He also served other members of the royal family, including Princess Diana, Prince William, and Prince Harry. There’s no telling if they picked up on Elizabeth’s eating habits, but she is unique in eating fruits.  

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A closer look at Queen Elizabeth’s diet

McGrady shared that the late Queen was quite the fruit enthusiast. However, there were certain foods that never made it to Elizabeth’s plate.

Garlic and an excess of onions were among the ingredients Her Majesty actively avoided. And if you were thinking of serving her a rare steak, think again. The queen always preferred her meat well done.

Come Sunday lunch, when a lavish roast dinner was on the menu, the chefs knew precisely how to cook it to her liking. The ends had to be done to perfection, as those were the portions she consistently chose.

Elizabeth’s culinary preferences, it seems, were as refined as her taste in everything else!

Interestingly, despite her distinct tastes, McGrady claimed that Elizabeth wasn’t much of a gourmet. She had a more practical attitude towards food, which served her well over the years.