Princess Anne and her older brother, King Charles III, have a lot in common, from their dutiful attitude passed down by their mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, to their particularly fussy eating habits.
In fact, there's one rather peculiar, though increasingly common, habit that the Princess Royal and her older brother have both stuck to, proving once again that the pair are even more similar than we've previously thought.
© Getty ImagesHELLO! spoke exclusively to celebrated chef Michael Mercer, who has previously cooked for the Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Anne, and he explained to us that the 75-year-old had a rather unusual approach to her mealtimes.
The chef told us how he had prepared a complete banquet for the only daughter of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth, but she then only sipped on a cup of Earl Grey tea, before very politely giving the chef her thanks and making her way out. Fortunately, the food did not go to waste, as her security team tucked into the meal on her behalf.
In the past, she has been known to enjoy kippers, a form of salted herring, which is often served as part of a salad or alongside buttery new potatoes, for her lunchtime meals, but, given that she and her brother are now known to not eat very much throughout the day, this U-turn on lunch isn't especially surprising.
Princess Anne has also been noted for her peculiar dietary preferences, including overripe bananas to the point of almost being black, and her love of tinned meat pies for a dinner party.
King Charles did not eat lunch for a long time
In a list of 70 about King Charles, then Prince Charles, released by Clarence House to commemorate his 70th birthday in 2018, the 20th fact was: "The Prince does not eat lunch," with no further explanation or clarification given.
However, according to a more recent report in the Mail on Sunday, the King has now started taking lunch, though he previously viewed it as a luxury that his time did not allow, which may also be why his sister doesn't have a meal during the day. After starting to follow the advice of his wife, confidants and doctors, he reluctantly began taking a meal in the middle of the day.
© Getty ImagesGiven that the 77-year-old is known as a picky eater, it's not surprising that he opts only for the healthiest food that he can get, and he now has half an avocado for lunch every day. Though it's a popular choice to have on toast or in a salad, King Charles tends to have it on its own!
BANT-registered nutritionist Charlotte Faure Green spoke exclusively to HELLO! explaining to us why, despite being rather small, it can be a healthy choice of lunch.
"An avocado might sound a bit minimal, but it’s actually very nourishing," she explains. "It’s full of monounsaturated fats that support heart health, hormone balance and satiety, so it keeps you feeling satisfied rather than peckish an hour later."
