A former Royal chef who whipped up meals for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip has spilled the beans on the exacting meal schedule at Buckingham Palace. Darren McGrady, a past Royal chef, disclosed the well-ordered daily dining timetable adhered to by the late monarch’s household, where personal preferences dictated separate mealtimes for Royal Family members. “Meal times were fixed,” McGrady divulged. ” The Queen was very strict and disciplined. Contrary to popular belief, she never called for food at odd hours. They had set meals, and if they wanted something in between, there was always fruit or chocolates in their rooms.” Read more: Knife crime expert’s key advice to parents as kids ‘terrified everyone is carrying a weapon’ Her Majesty’s breakfast routine started promptly at 9am and surprisingly modest, with cereal from a Tupperware container, despite a team of 20 chefs on standby. “The Queen’s breakfast was at 9am, served in her room. She’d help herself to cereal from a Tupperware container, especially Special K, even though there were 20 chefs available to cook anything.” Prince Philip鈥檚 morning meals contrasted greatly, favouring more vibrant options like deviled kidneys. “Prince Philip, on the other hand, enjoyed more adventurous breakfasts like deviled kidneys,” the chef mentioned, reports the Mirror . Lunch was invariably at 1pm, and dinner timings were strictly 8:15pm unless the Queen Mother joined, nudging it to 8:30pm. While the meal times might have been precise, the fare leaned towards homely traditional rather than extravagant. “We didn’t do anything over-the-top extravagant. The Queen was very frugal, likely due to her wartime upbringing,” the chef explained. “Ingredients like lobster, caviar, and foie gras were reserved for state banquets. On normal days, she was perfectly happy with comfort food, so we cooked meals like cottage pie.” Each member of the family, the chef noted, had their own culinary preferences. “Each royal had their favourites. For the Queen, it always came back to indigenous produce – partridge or venison from Sandringham, grouse from Balmoral. “She had a sweet tooth and loved dark chocolate, especially anything over 60 percent cocoa. Any dessert with chocolate on the menu was sure to be chosen.” The then-Prince Charles, now King, stood out for his passion for organic and Mediterranean foods. “Charles was the most adventurous. He brought organic food into the royal kitchens long before it became mainstream,” the chef said. “He’d bring his own hampers with home-grown fruits and vegetables, especially at Sandringham… He also enjoyed foraging for wild mushrooms which he would bring to the kitchens for us to use in meals.” Despite the modern fascination with dietary requirements, the Royal table rarely accommodated special requests. The former Royal chef has opened up about his 11 years cooking for the monarchy, revealing some surprising culinary preferences. “During my 11 years with the Queen, we didn’t have a single vegetarian, gluten-free, or lactose-intolerant guest,” he said. “If you dined with the Queen, you ate what the Queen ate. If you didn’t like it, you’d stop for a McDonald’s on the way home.” He also shared insights into the personal tastes of the Royals: “There weren’t banned foods, but the Queen didn’t like garlic or strong onions, viewing them as antisocial,” he continued. “Prince Philip, however, loved garlic and would have it at his dinner parties.” Meanwhile, the younger generation had their own favourites. Prince William and Prince Harry grew up enjoying more casual fare: “Wills and Harry loved cottage pie, pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries, potato wedges, macaroni cheese,” according to the chef. Even the tradition of fine dining could be superseded by childhood wishes, as the chef humorously recounted an encounter with Princess Diana. “One lunchtime, the Princess came in and said, ‘Cancel lunch today. I’m taking them out.’ I asked, ‘Where are you going?’ and she said, ‘McDonald’s.’ I responded, ‘I can do burgers better than McDonald’s,’ to which she replied, ‘I know that Darren, but they want the toys in the Happy Meal.'”. When it came to state dinners, the preparation was a grand affair involving the Queen’s direct input. “A state visit takes a lot of planning,” he noted. “We’d get likes, dislikes, and dietary restrictions from the Foreign Office, then plan four menus and send them to the Queen – she’d choose one.” The Queen’s preference for sweet treats was a steadfast Royal inclination. “Dessert was often a bombe glace虂e – an ice cream dish. The Queen loved ice cream or chocolate desserts,” revealed a former palace chef.