Here's the Surprisingly Simple Dish King Charles and Queen Camilla Have for Breakfast

King Charles and Queen Camilla have adopted a surprisingly healthy and nutritious breakfast routine reveals Tom Parker-Bowles in his new cookbook, Cooking and the Crown. In his most recent book, renowned food critic and son of Camilla and her former spouse Andrew Parker Bowles delves into the history of food in the royal family. Contrary to what one might anticipate from a royal morning meal, Tom said that his mother loved a traditional bowl of porridge for breakfast. "That's what my mother eats in the winter. Porridge with her own honey as she has bees," he told hosts Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty while appearing on BBC Breakfast. 

According to the UK Mirror, after that, host Charlie questioned whether the porridge was particularly unique. Tom answered, "There are lots of simple recipes in the book. Nope, it's just good old-fashioned porridge made with milk and cream and a bit of honey." The food writer then offered the easy recipe, which calls for full-fat milk, Scottish porridge oats, honey, and a dash of salt. As per the Daily Mail, his book also discusses Queen Victoria's lavish banquet affairs which consisted of six courses including two types of soup, fish, "entrees," "releves," or "removes," which are a combination of roast meats and more complex desserts, rotis, which are additional "roasts," usually smaller birds like quail, and, lastly, "entremets," which are a variety of vegetables and puddings.

Discussing the late Queen Elizabeth II's diet proportions Tom deemed her to be "not a great eater". He recalled: "[She] was just as happy with a salmon fishcake, a mild curry or scrambled eggs on toast." Charles and Camilla, he added, are "mushroom experts," particularly when they are in Scotland and go mushroom harvesting. He further stated that Camilla eats light for lunch; she frequently has smoked salmon or chicken broth, another recipe in the book. King Charles is renowned for skipping lunch entirely, but he loves mutton and has dry fruits and honey for breakfast. 

Tom further revealed that the royal couple enjoys eating "simple, healthy, and resolutely seasonal food." According to People, he stated that their meals are monitored by Royal Chef Mark Flanagan. Regarding the King in particular, Tom called him a "real food hero" who "practices what he preaches," particularly with sustainable food. He noted that Charles' pantry is always abundant with “seasonal bounty of the royal estates,” including “game, beef, and lamb,” plus fruits and vegetables like “peas, strawberries, raspberries and chard." "There is no waste at [King Charles’] table," the food critic shared.

Tom further explained that his step-father takes the tradition of afternoon tea very seriously and “doesn't eat lunch at all”. "Afternoon tea is traditionally served at 5 p.m., and typically contains “macaroons, scones, wafers, biscuits, petit fours, ­pralines, Chelsea buns, and ­shortbread, along with bridge rolls, crumpets, poached eggs on toast, potted shrimps and sandwiches” filled with “chicken, smoked salmon, ham, and mustard,” he said. He concluded that the royal couple often retires for the day with a "laid back" meal "away from the official pomp and circumstance."