From a strict ban on mobile phones to an unwritten rule about never taking the last biscuit, former palace staff have lifted the lid on what really happened around Queen Elizabeth II’s dining table.
State Banquets at Buckingham Palace may be famous for priceless china and lavish multi-course menus, but the Royal Family’s everyday mealtimes are far more ordinary than many people imagine. While King Charles has been known to skip lunch altogether, preferring a carefully prepared afternoon tea instead, Princess Anne has her own famously unusual food preferences.
According to former royal butler and Regal Afternoon Tea Julius Smith, one of the biggest dining faux pas is helping yourself to the final biscuit without first offering it to everyone else.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he explained: “The worst thing you can do is take the last biscuit without offering – and take pictures of the food. Just enjoy it!”
The advice reflects the emphasis the Royal Family places on good manners and consideration for fellow diners, whether at an informal family meal or an official engagement.
But Smith also revealed the late Queen had her own mischievous way of keeping conversation flowing around the table.
“She used to love to gossip,” he said, explaining that the monarch insisted guests’ wine glasses were constantly topped up – even if they tried to stop the pouring by covering the glass with their hand.
“She would say to pour it in through their fingers!”
The playful tactic, he suggested, helped guests relax and encouraged lively conversation over dinner.
Quirky Queen
Her tea ritual also had its own distinctive quirks. According to Smith, the Queen often added a slice of lemon to her tea – a simple habit that quickly spread around the table as guests copied Her Majesty.
“Whatever’s good enough for the Queen is good enough for everybody else,” he said.
Another rule that became synonymous with royal dining was the late Queen’s ban on mobile phones at the table.
British broadcaster and royal commentator Gyles Brandreth previously revealed that Elizabeth II insisted meals should be free from the distraction of technology, even for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Appearing on ITV’s This Morning, he said: “One of the things she wouldn’t allow at the table with her grandchildren and indeed her great-grandchildren is mobile phones at mealtimes.”
He added that the late monarch preferred a traditional approach to family meals, saying: “She likes a formal meal… you certainly mustn’t eat with your mouth open.”
The rule means that today’s young royals, including Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, are expected to leave their devices behind and focus on conversation.
Waste not, want not
Sustainability also plays an important role behind palace doors. Queen Camilla’s son, food writer Tom Parker Bowles, has revealed that very little food is ever wasted.
Speaking previously to the Mirror,, he said: “There is no waste, everything is recycled, everything is used from the table.
“If anything is leftover from the dinner, that will be made into something else or appear the next day. Nothing’s allowed to be thrown out.”
Although palace dining may appear intimidating from the outside, many of the rules are surprisingly familiar. Put your phone away, mind your manners, think of others before taking the last biscuit and don’t waste food – principles that would probably earn approval at plenty of family dinner tables, royal or otherwise.
