Despite living surrounded by the pomp and luxuries usually reserved for a monarch, Queen Elizabeth II had simple tastes. In fact, for more than 90 years, the head of the House of Windsor ate a simple meal that can be easily prepared in any “commoner” kitchen.
Darren McGrady, the personal chef to Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana and Princes William and Harry for 15 years, posted a video on his YouTube channel last year with recipes to recreate a traditional tea served at the Palace of Buckingham.
According to the cook, who worked in those meetings that might gather 6,000 guests in the gardens of the royal residence, he revealed that the queen chose to eat the same dish in the followingnoon since she was five years old: “Only bread and jam, usually strawberry , with a little butter”, detailed McGrady, quoted by the newspaper Express.
“We prepared the jam at Balmoral Castle –where Elizabeth died at the age of 96– with beautiful Scottish strawberries from the gardens,” he added. This preparation received the name of “penny jam” (“jam penny”) because the bread, cut in a circular shape and arranged as a sandwich, “remembered the size of the old English penny”.
Isabel’s predilection for this sandwich was reflected in June when, as part of the Platinum Jubilee for her 70-year reign, the royal house released a video in which the queen had tea with paddington beara popular fictional character created by Michael Bond in the 1950s.
After a tea mishap, the lovable guest tries to make amends with his hostess. “Maybe… I’d like a jam sandwich. I always carry one with me in case an emergency arises,” confesses the bear, taking the morsel out of his hat. Then the queen, with her black bag from Launer on the table, the same model he has been wearing for decades, replies: “Just like me. I always carry one here.”
Queen Elizabeth died peacefully at the age of 96 at the Scottish residence of Balmoral. “The King and Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral tonight and return to London tomorrow.”, tweeted the official Buckingham Palace account at 6:30 p.m. local time.
The account already refers to Carlos as the new king of England and his wife, Camilla, as the queen consort. In his first message as monarch, the eldest son of Elizabeth and Philip of Edinburgh said he was going through his moment of “maximum sadness” over the death of his mother.
“We deeply regret the death of an admired sovereign and a much loved mother. I know his loss will be deeply felt throughout the Country, the Realms and the Commonwealth and by countless people around the world. During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and supported by our knowledge of respect and the deep affection in which the Queen was so widely recognized”.
