The Real Reason The Royals Don't Eat Garlic Or Onions

It's been well documented that the royal family lives very differently than most of us, especially when it comes to rules. Royals have to follow many regulations on how they conduct themselves publicly and how others must interact with them, according to Harper's Bazaar. For example, when greeting Queen Elizabeth, women must curtsy and men are supposed to bow their heads. Then there's the more unique social cues guests must take note of. Apparently the Queen's purse isn't just for storage — where she places it sends social signals to those around her. If you're speaking with the Queen and she moves her bag from her left hand to right, she'd like you to wrap up. But did you know these rules also extend to what foods the royal family can eat? 

Some of the items you won't see served to the royal family include rice, shellfish, and the crusts on bread (via Delish). However, the Queen does love sandwiches, she just wants them with the crust removed. "A chef told me off for serving the sandwiches with crusts," former royal chef Owen Hodgson told The Telegraph. Two ingredients they absolutely must forego, however, are garlic and onion.

While it's no secret that both garlic and onions are delicious, we all also know what they can do to someone's breath. According to Delish, the royal family avoids them because they are always meeting and talking with people, and want to make sure their breath doesn't smell bad. Camilla Parker Bowles appeared on MasterChef Australia and was asked directly what they can't eat. "I hate to say this, but garlic," Parker Bowles confirmed. "Garlic is a no-no." 

The Queen and her family must also try to avoid onions for similar reasons. However, they are allowed to have a few onions, if they are used sparingly in a meal (via Newsweek). A former royal chef, Darren McGrady, who worked at Buckingham Palace for over 15 years confirmed this. Per Newsweek, McGrady revealed to Recipes Plus that cooks "can never serve anything with garlic or too many onions."

While many of us enjoy waking up to a warm breakfast and coffee, Her Majesty has very specific instructions about what type of morning meal she'll have. According to Delish, Queen Elizabeth refuses to eat white eggs, but will indulge in ones that have brown shells. She believes brown eggs taste much better and isn't willing to compromise. Another one of her favorite early foods is a surprisingly common one — cereal. "Breakfast was very simple for Her Majesty," McGrady told Marie Claire. "Some Kellogg's cereal from a plastic container, which she'd serve herself. And some Darjeeling tea."

However, if you think the Queen is going to add in some fresh strawberries to her bowl of cereal during winter, you'd be seriously mistaken. She is very particular about only eating fruits and vegetables that are currently in season, per Delish. "You can send strawberries every day to the Queen during summer at Balmoral and she'll never say a word," McGrady told Recipes Plus (via Delish). "Try including strawberries on the menu in January and she'll scrub out the line and say don't dare send me genetically modified strawberries."

It might be hard to fathom, but apparently the royals can't indulge in a delicious plate of pasta while they're at the palace (via Bustle). McGrady explained the Queen avoids dishes like bolognese because it's a starchy food, but she will eat it for special celebrations. This might not have sat well with Meghan Markle, who spoke with Delish before she became a royal about her love of the carb-laden food. "When I'm traveling, I won't miss an opportunity to try great pasta," she explained. "I come back from vacation every year with a food baby, and I've named her Comida."

And even if it is a special occasion, don't expect to see Her Majesty eating any rare meat in her spaghetti. She's not a fan and will only eat the most well-done parts of a roast lamb. The matriarch likes her red meat extremely cooked through and won't have it any other way, which is smart since undercooked meat can cause food poisoning (via Johns Hopkins Medicine). So, if you ever find yourself hosting the royals, it's best to avoid these foods or you'll have a very unhappy Queen — and nobody wants that.