Ex-Royal Chef Reveals The Strict Rules During Christmas Celebrations: "They've Always Been..."

The British royal family celebrates Christmas much like the rest of us, by decorating trees, exchanging gifts, sending cards, attending church mass, and getting together for a lavish meal. However, for the royals, the celebrations are a formal affair, governed by a rigid set of traditions, including opening presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day as a nod to their German heritage. Darren McGrady, who served as Queen Elizabeth II’s chef during the 80s and 90s, often catered Christmas at Sandringham and shared his experiences in an interview, offering a glimpse into the royal kitchen during the holiday season.

As reported by the Mirror, Christmas Eve at the royal household kicks off with the family arriving at Sandringham to enjoy a refined afternoon tea, complete with delicate sandwiches and cakes. After the traditional gift exchange, the evening shifts to a lavish banquet in the dining room. McGrady, alongside five other chefs, would prepare a meal for up to 20 senior royals, their children, and around 100 staff members. The chef said, "They have always been very traditional, so the royals eat the same things every year. They are no different to most families in not wanting to mess around with the food at Christmas."

He added, "For the Christmas Eve dinner we would serve a fish course, salad, and then often venison from the Sandringham estate. Dessert was typically a tarte tatin or chocolate perfection pie, which Queen Elizabeth loved. Chocolate was one of her biggest weaknesses." The chef further revealed that when preparing meals for the Queen, some ingredients were strictly avoided. For instance, onions and garlic were prohibited for their smell as the Queen had to interact with many.

The drink selection was also carefully curated. Additionally, McGrady detailed that no one was allowed to sit until the Queen entered the room, and no one could begin eating until she did. Once she placed her knife and fork down, it signaled the end of a particular course. He also noted that even today, many of these formalities continue under King Charles III. After Christmas Eve dinner, however, McGrady had a different responsibility— serving coffee and changing his attire, as he was also the DJ for the staff's festive disco.

As reported by Hello! magazine, the Queen and senior royals dined in the main room, while the younger princes and princesses had their meals in the nursery, cared for by their nannies. McGrady, who also served Princess Diana until her tragic passing in 1997, had seen Prince William and Prince Harry grow up at Kensington Palace. He shared that Diana had a particular fondness for crepe soufflé, which he made sure to include on the menu just for her.