The Queen's bizarre toast habit might make you feel queasy

Queen Elizabeth II meets guests during a reception for the High Commissioners' Banquet
(Image credit: Photo by Anthony Devlin - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The Queen's said to have a bizarre toast habit that might make many fans feel a little queasy as her former royal chef opened up on this royal favourite dish.

Everyone has their favourite dishes, but when it comes to members of The Firm, there’s always a sense of intrigue over the royal delicacies they enjoy the most. From the foods the royals eat on Christmas Day to the Queen’s morbid sandwich rule, there are some meals they’re said to love and certain traditions it’s believed they follow at meal times. There is even thought to be a clever reason why the Queen never reveals her favourite food

Despite enjoying some of the finest food, according to former royal chef, Darren McGrady, the monarch is also a fan of a simpler snack. And the Queen’s bizarre toast habit might not be everyone’s cup of tea…

Queen Elizabeth II takes a tea break with hospital staff during her visit to Manchester Royal Infirmary

According to My London, Darren McGrady disclosed in a YouTube video that the Queen loves eating toast with one food in particular. Unlike many of us who might enjoy adding butter or jam, the monarch has a more savoury approach.

Darren reportedly explained that the Queen’s bizarre toast habit involves a topping made from none other than shrimps in a butter sauce. 

He alleged, “They're little brown shrimp harvested from Morecambe (in Lancashire) and they're cooked and marinated in this secret spicy butter. The Queen would have it with warm toast and when you spread it the butter melts and you have this beautiful shrimp as well. You need to look them up to try them.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-yRm2a8d98

Shrimp on toast likely isn’t the first topping many people would reach for, though the Queen and her family are known to have a love of this delicious crustacean.

Shrimp or lobster salad is said to be something the royals enjoy on Christmas Day, whilst a prawn curry featured in Kate Middleton and Prince William’s hotel dinner order on their Caribbean tour. However, shellfish is also something that the royals supposedly try to avoid on tours, supposedly due to the food poisoning risk.

At home at the palace, though, it seems that the Queen enjoys her shrimps and toast, with Darren also claiming that when it comes to mealtimes at the palace, it really does all depend on the monarch’s preferences.

The Queen At A Luncheon In Paris, France

“When I moved to Buckingham Palace it was more about cooking dishes that the Queen liked,” he’s said to have shared. “You could do a Beef Stroganoff - if she didn't like paprika in there then suddenly Beef Stroganoff became a dish that didn't have paprika in.

"You're just cooking for that one person, whereas in a hotel you're cooking your food for all the different clients coming in.”

Emma Shacklock
Senior Lifestyle Writer

Emma is a Senior Lifestyle Writer with six years of experience working in digital publishing, ranging from book publishing to magazines. She currently looks after all things Lifestyle for Woman&Home, Goodto.com, and My Imperfect Life.