Queen Consort Camilla Just Banned 2 Ingredients From The Coronation Day Menu
There has been no shortage of hype leading up to King Charles' coronation on May 6. Will Harry and Meghan be invited? What musical guests will perform? But the latest news is all about the menu. There are two food items that will likely not be on the menu at the coronation at the request of Queen Consort Camilla: According to her son, there will be no garlic and no chili. Tom Parker Bowles, a food writer and critic, shared the news on a podcast called "The News Agents," which is hosted by journalists Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, and Lewis Goodall.
The reasoning behind the queen consort's request comes down to personal preference, her son said. "She doesn't like chili, she doesn't like massive spice," he shared on the podcast (via Hello!), adding that at such an important event "you have to be a little bit careful not to get the tummy too excited." As for the garlic, Parker Bowles chalked the preference up to "purely social reasons," since garlic can make your breath smell. Parker Bowles also shared Camilla's preferred foods, which include fish and fresh vegetables, especially those grown in her garden at home.
It's not unusual for the royal family to steer clear of spice
The queen consort's preferences won't come as a surprise to those who follow the British royals, as the family has historically stayed away from serving spicy foods at formal events. In addition to potential stomach upset, the reasoning may be due to other physical effects of eating spicy food, like sweating. Like Camilla, the late Queen Elizabeth II was allegedly not a fan of spicy food either. Funnily enough, Elizabeth also reportedly banned garlic in the past.
In 2000, the BBC reported that chefs at an Italian palace Elizabeth and Prince Phillip were visiting were told to avoid garlic, long pastas, and "messy" tomato sauces. "The royal entourage likes progress to run smoothly, free from the disruptions of gastronomic indisposition," the BBC article adds. "Hence the ban on shellfish, rare meat, foreign water, and any food that is too spicy or exotic."
So what is on the menu for the coronation?
We know there won't be any garlic or chili, so what will be served at King Charles' coronation? As a part of the schedule of events, communities throughout the United Kingdom will host "Coronation Big Lunches." The Big Lunch is an annual community-building concept organized by the educational charity the Eden Project and supported by Queen Consort Camilla since 2013. The Coronation Big Lunch is a special addition to the annual Big Lunch, similar to the Big Jubilee Lunch that took place in 2022 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee and had 17 million participants.
To celebrate the coronation, King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla, and their guests will enjoy a coronation quiche at their official Coronation Big Lunch. It will be "a deep quiche with a crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavors of spinach, broad beans and fresh tarragon," according to royal staff (via Yahoo).