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Princess Anne's peculiar favourite dish is not for everyone - would you eat it?

The 71-year-old once wrote a letter of adoration to Fortune Kippers

princess anne food
Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
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Princess Anne is anything but a 'foodie', opting for practicality over fuss when it comes to her meals. From eating blackened bananas at breakfast to serving choc ices to dinner guests, some might say the Queen's daughter has an unconventional palette - though there's nothing quite as strange as the royal's favourite fish dish…

SEE: Princess Anne's unusual breakfast is so healthy – but it might make your stomach churn

Forget cheese and crackers, crisps or a piece of fruit, the Princess Royal loves to dine on kippers when she's feeling peckish - a quintessentially British meal consisting of smoked herring. The royal's fondness for the nutrient-rich delicacy was revealed by a complimentary letter she previously sent to Fortune Kippers, a 140-year-old company based in Whitby, Yorkshire.

WATCH: 8 quirky outfits that made Princess Anne an unexpected style icon

Although very little is known about the Princess' regular eating habits, Anne has been known to enjoy the salty, oily fish. Though kippers are most commonly eaten at breakfast with eggs, they also make a delicious lunch alternative when served in a salad, or paired with buttery new potatoes.

READ: Princess Anne's favourite dinner dish is not to everyone's taste - details

SEE: Why Princess Anne's huge walk-in fridge at Gatcombe Park is her 'favourite place'

Princess Anne's unusual taste for salty fish isn't that abnormal considering that kippers are also amongst one of the Queen's favourite breakfasts due to their succulent, delicate flavour.

herring kipper

The Princess Royal is a fan of kippers

The monarch's favourite morning meal was revealed in Dinner at Buckingham Palace, a book based on the diaries and personal recollections of royal servant Charles Oliver. An extract told how the Queen "has been partial to kippers since the war years" when she and Princess Margaret were at Windsor Castle.

The royal sisters were wandering around the castle when they came across a "compelling aroma".

princess anne

Princess Anne has an unusual pallete, favouring unusual snacks and dishes

The anecdote revealed: "Fascinated, they traced the smell to its source and found themselves outside the private kitchen of Mrs Alice Bruce, then housekeeper at the castle. Mrs Bruce gave the princesses their first taste of kipper, and showed them how to cook the fish as well.

"Kippers, in a number of uncomplicated variations, have remained a favourite with the Queen ever since – for breakfast, as a savoury or a late-night supper. The queen is also fond of smoked haddock as a breakfast dish."

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