The Secret Chocolate Bar Always Tucked Away in the Royal Fridge
Royal life has a reputation for strict menus, formal banquets, and carefully planned meals. But former palace staff say the reality behind those famous gates is often far more familiar. Private kitchens still have simple snacks, and chocolate is consumed more often than people might expect. One former royal butler even admitted that the cupboards occasionally looked like the snack aisle of a neighborhood grocery store.
The Chocolate Bars Hidden in Royal Kitchens
Image via iStockphoto/Ekaterina79
Grant Harrold served as a butler to King Charles III between 2004 and 2011, during the years Charles was still the Prince of Wales. His job placed him inside several royal residences, where he saw the daily routines that hardly appear in public. Harrold later revealed that palace cupboards often held ordinary chocolate bars that millions of people buy every day. According to him, the two brands that appeared regularly were Snickers bars and Mars bars.
Harrold explained that the younger members of the royal family enjoyed the same snacks most people do. He said he frequently saw those chocolate bars around royal households.
Younger Royals and Their Familiar Tastes
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Tyler Main
Harrold also spent a great deal of time around Prince Harry while working for the royal household. According to him, Harry showed a strong preference for comfort food and casual meals. He recalled that Harry enjoyed takeaway meals and relaxed dining more than formal palace dishes.
Busy lifestyles also played a role. Royal schedules include travel, charity work, public appearances, and long days on their feet. Harrold said those active routines helped younger family members stay slim even while eating familiar foods such as chocolate bars and takeaway meals.
Queen Elizabeth II Had a Chocolate Weakness
The late Queen Elizabeth II maintained a reputation for disciplined eating. Former royal chef Darren McGrady, who worked in the palace kitchens between 1982 and 1993, often described her meals as simple and structured. According to McGrady, the Queen preferred grilled or poached fish served with vegetables and salad when she ate alone. Potatoes and heavy starches hardly appeared on her personal plate. But chocolate was the one indulgence she truly loved.
McGrady said the Queen favored dark chocolate and preferred it as rich as possible. Milk chocolate and white chocolate rarely interested her. Small dark chocolate treats called Bendicks Bittermints became a favorite snack. The brand earned a Royal Warrant in 1962 and contains dark chocolate filled with mint.
Chocolate desserts also appeared frequently on palace menus during McGrady’s time as chef. Dark chocolate mousse flavored with espresso became a recurring favorite at Buckingham Palace. Coffee mousse and elaborate desserts such as bombe glacée filled with praline also appeared during formal banquets.
Photos from public visits show Queen Elizabeth accepting gifts from well-wishers and sometimes smiling as she received them. One notable moment happened in 2004 during a visit to Paris, when French pastry chef François Duthu presented her with a large chocolate Easter egg.