Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis don’t eat with their parents at formal events for this sort-of understandable reason
“The rules start early on”
A former royal chef has revealed why royal children, including Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, aren't allowed to sit with their parents at formal dinners and the reason is both understandable and harsh.
- A former royal chef has shared that royal youngsters eat in a separate room to their parents at formal dinners, including Christmas dinner, until they are 'old enough to conduct themselves properly at the dining table.'
- The rule is longstanding and means that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will not join the adult table until they've been introduced to 'new grownup dishes' and evolved 'their palates.'
- In other royal news, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis preparing for bittersweet end to the summer with the breaking of this royal tradition.
Kate Middleton may be astute about splitting her time equally between her royal duties and family life, but the royal rules are enforced from an early age and she can't let her children break them all.
According to reports in The Mirror, “The rules start early on. Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis had to learn very early on what they can and cannot do." So what can and can't they do? For example, the children must hold their parents' hands during outings and they're expected to uphold royal protocol at all times.
In addition, they also have household rules imposed by Kate and William including the one word that can't be uttered in their home and the habit William makes sure they all follow that was inspired by his late mother, Princess Diana.
But perhaps the harshest rule is that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are not allowed to sit with their mum and dad at official dinners, even at Christmas dinner! Before they head off to the adults table, the youngsters must have “learned the art of polite conversation.”
Former royal chef Darren McGrady worked for both the late Queen and Princess Diana, so has a vast knowledge of royal life, especially when it comes to their favourite foods and their, perhaps least favourite, approaches to dining etiquette.
Speaking to The Mirror, the chef revealed that royal children were always made to eat formal dinners away from the other adults, mostly in the nursery with nannies, and were even separated as such during the Royal Family's Christmas lunch.
GoodtoKnow Newsletter
Parenting advice, hot topics, best buys and family finance tips delivered straight to your inbox.
So why take the age old tradition of the kids table and enhance the idea by putting the children in their own room? According to McGrady, it was all about the kids learning proper behaviour.
He shared, “The children always ate in the nursery until they were old enough to conduct themselves properly at the dining table."
It isn't just the children who have strict rules to follow, but the royal chefs too. One of the strangest? They are not allowed to serve pizza. McGrady previously told told Insider, "[I spent] Eleven years at The Palace and we never served pizza at all, not even at receptions. The menus at Buckingham Palace are very traditional French, which wouldn't lean towards having pizza on it."
Similarly, takeaway burgers were off the menu, but the family still enjoyed their own, royal version of the delicacy. McGrady revealed, "It always tickled me at Balmoral, we would make our own burgers. They would shoot deer, and we would do venison burgers. There'd be gorgeous cranberry and everything stuffed into them.
"They would have burgers, but not the buns. So they would eat it with their knife and fork!"
Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is royal news and entertainment writer for Goodto.com. She began her freelance journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with BBC Good Food and The Independent.
-
We tested the new Joie Pact Pro stroller and we won't be going back to our old set of wheels - here's why
The Pact Pro by Joie is the perfect pushchair for holidays but tough enough for daily life
By Heidi Scrimgeour Published
-
Do you get your kids’ names mixed up? Psychologist reveals why your brain makes this ‘common glitch’ and it’s not the reason you think
Are you always going through the names of all your kids before you land on the right one? Don't worry, you aren't alone - there's an interesting scientific reason you do it.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
Prince William and Kate Middleton make important change to ‘protect their family’ from ‘hostile world of social media’
A royal expert has pointed out how recent 'hurtful' comments have prompted the Prince and Princess of Wales to take new precautions with their family
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Princess Charlotte will be grateful Kate Middleton made this unique change to her wedding vows - and she was only the second royal ever to ditch tradition
The Prince and Princess of Wales just celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s 13th wedding anniversary celebrations ‘revolved around their children,’ reveals inside source as they give insight into the couple’s special day
The Prince and Princess of Wales marked their wedding anniversary with ‘low-key plans’ that involved all the family
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Princess Charlotte’s morning struggle with brother Prince George is so relatable - and Prince William knows exactly how to handle it
Prince George and Princess Charlotte spend the mornings like most brothers and sisters, according to dad Prince William
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince George, Charlotte and Louis will be delighted with the exciting new feature in King Charles’ garden - and it also lets the monarch live out his own childhood dream
Has he just won grandfather of the year? We think so...
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince George, Charlotte and Louis will skip iconic royal event this year - but the reason why is completely understandable
The Wales children delighted royal fans by appearing at the event last year, but this year is set to be different
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince William uses Princess Charlotte’s favourite ‘dad joke’ to get a laugh - and it’s got the seal of approval from this popular comedian
It's a childhood classic!
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Kate Middleton is enjoying ‘precious’ family time with Prince George, Charlotte and Louis as she recovers from ‘preventative’ cancer treatment
As the Princess of Wales takes time away from royal duties following her diagnosis, her kids are making sure to offer lots of love and support
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published