King Charles is known for being quite the particular eater, whether it's how he's fussy about his eggs or how he very rarely eats lunch, and, as with any picky eater, he's equally known for having very specific favourites.
In his tell-all memoir, Spare, released in 2023, the King's younger son, Prince Harry, shared insight into an afternoon tea with his father at Clarence House, where he first introduced his now-wife, Meghan Markle, to him.
© Getty ImagesThe Duke of Sussex wrote: "We came to a round table laid with a white cloth. Beside it stood a trolley with tea: honey cake, flapjacks, sandwiches, warm crumpets, crackers with some creamy spread, shredded basil – Pa's favourite."
While most of the components are quite typical for an afternoon tea, the choice of the creamy spread and shredded basil seems unusually specific. With crackers usually coming in at around £1, and cream cheese typically coming in at around £3, it's a cheap addition that anyone can weave into an afternoon tea! Given King Charles' passion for organic gardening, we can assume the basil is homegrown.
Charlotte Faure Green, a BANT-registered nutritionist, calls it an "understated" addition that fits into an afternoon tea perfectly.
"Afternoon tea calls for a variety of little bites that offer a brief pause in the day without tipping you over into a food slump," she explains. "A crisp cracker with something creamy on top does that – the spread is usually something like ricotta or a soft herby cheese, so a tasty bite without being too heavy."
What makes crackers with creamy spread and basil so special?
Pairing the crackers with a spread like a soft cheese actually has nutritional benefits, too, the BANT-registered nutritionist notes.
"I always suggest pairing carbohydrates with a little fat and a little protein because it slows down how quickly the stomach empties and gives you a steadier release of energy," she explains. "Together, they have more staying power than a plain cracker would."
© Getty ImagesHowever, the ingredient that makes the snack a little more special is the basil, which Charlotte calls "a lovely twist".
"Basil contains rosmarinic acid," she continues, "a compound which has gentle calming properties and supports GABA in the brain, which is our neurotransmitter that makes us feel settled and relaxed.
"The effect is subtle, but helps explain why herbs like basil can feel so bright and uplifting in food," the BANT-registered nutritionist concludes.
