And she’s been eating it for over 90 years.
We know all about her penchant for sponge cake, scones, and the (alleged) six standard drinks per day, but did we know HRH was also a fan of a simple jam sanga?
Yes, in some royally good food news, it seems bread, jam and a smidge of butter is the afternoon snack that has been keeping Queen Elizabeth satisfied for the past 91 years.
The Mirror spotted this juicy morsel in a YouTube video about the Buckingham Palace gardens, hosted by former royal chef, Darren McGrady.
The Savoy Hotel-trained chef, who worked for the Royal Family for 15 years, said: “The Queen was served jam pennies in the nursery as a little girl, she’s had them for afternoon tea ever since.”
“Simple, just bread and jam with a little butter – usually strawberry jam. We’d make the jam at Balmoral Castle with the gorgeous Scottish strawberries from the gardens.”
Related story: 55 afternoon tea bakes fit for a queen
So what exactly is a jam penny, I hear you ask? The traditional afternoon tea treat isyour run of the mill jam sandwich, cut into a circle the size of an old English penny. So if you now have the mental picture of a tiny Queen Elizabeth nibbling on a tiny jam sanga, you’re welcome.
It’s also previously been reported that QEII is a fan of a well-buttered tuna mayonnaise sandwich, presumably cut into a tiny shape too. Wonder if she has the tuna before or after the jam?
Starting the day with cereal from a tupperware container, indulging in a lunchtime co*cktail, snacking on an afternoon sarnie and sneaking in a bit of choccie before bed? Royals – they’re just like us!
Minus the private strawberry patch in a Scottish castle garden, of course.
Related story:The Queen’s chef reveals what the royal corgis eat
FAQs
Yes, in some royally good food news, it seems bread, jam and a smidge of butter is the afternoon snack that has been keeping Queen Elizabeth satisfied for the past 91 years. The Mirror spotted this juicy morsel in a YouTube video about the Buckingham Palace gardens, hosted by former royal chef, Darren McGrady.
What is Queen Elizabeth's Favourite snack? ›
What was Queen Elizabeth's favorite food? As a young girl, Princess Elizabeth's favorite food was jam pennies–tiny, crustless sandwiches made with white bread, strawberry jam, and butter. The affinity for these little finger sandwiches extended into her adult life and throughout her reign.
What was Queen Elizabeth's favourite food? ›
Queen Elizabeth adhered to a daily teatime meal; her preference for delicate sandwiches with the crusts cut off was well-publicized. Her favorite version was reported to be smoked salmon with cream cheese. If the old adage is true, one should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper.
Who was the former chef to the Queen? ›
Chef Darren McGrady was personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales and Princes' William and Harry for fifteen years and has cooked for Presidents' Ford, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush. He is now a chef, author, culinary consultant, event planner and public speaker living in Dallas, Texas.
What was the Queen's favorite jam? ›
strawberry jam being Queen Elizabeth's favorite.
What did the Queen snack on? ›
Every day for more than 90 years, Queen Elizabeth II ate her favorite snack: jam sandwiches, also known as jam pennies.
Who is the royal chef at Buckingham Palace? ›
Chef Darren McGrady | The Royal Chef | Personal Chef to the Queen.
What is the queens favorite candy? ›
The monarch is said to be fond of a classic British dark mint chocolate, usually eaten after dinner, that anyone can buy from a local supermarket. The Bendicks Bittermints were seen in the back of an engagement photo. The Queen also likes sweet offerings from the famous chocolatier Charbonnel et Walker.
What time does Queen go to bed? ›
The Queen sleeps 8.5 hours each night. She goes to bed at the same time each night (11 p.m.). The article notes that experts recommend going to bed at the same time, as it trains your body to feel sleepy as you approach that hour. She eats light, protein-filled meals at regular times.
What is Queen Elizabeth's favorite dessert? ›
“This chocolate biscuit cake is Her Royal Majesty the Queen's favorite afternoon tea cake by far,” chef Darren McGrady, The Royal Chef and former personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, told TODAY Food.
The queen had 20 chefs at the royal kitchen at the time McGrady was working there, he says. It was previously reportedthat the head chef would provide the Queen with a menu twice a week and then she could choose meals to her liking. McGrady confirmed the menu system was in place.
What did Gordon Ramsay get from the Queen? ›
“That was an incredible moment, being invited up to Holyrood, the Scottish castle, and being given the Order of the British Empire by [the queen],” Ramsay said. Ramsay received an OBE for his services to the hospitality industry in the late royal's 2006 New Year Honors list.
What is The Queen's favourite sandwich? ›
The Queen's favorite sandwiches contained cucumber, but they also included a secret ingredient that you need to try! The Queen was famed for her love of cucumber sandwiches, but you might not have known that the late monarch's favorite snack contained a secret ingredient.
What is The Queen's favorite fruit? ›
This exotic fruit owes its lofty nickname to Queen Victoria, the second longest-ruling British monarch: Legend has it that Victoria promised to knight anyone who brought her back mangosteens from their sea voyages.
What is The Queen Elizabeth strawberry sandwich? ›
"Simple, just bread and jam with a little butter - usually strawberry jam. We'd make the jam at Balmoral Castle with the gorgeous Scottish strawberries from the gardens."
What is the Queen's favourite ice cream? ›
While the queen especially enjoyed mint and chocolate bombe, Chef McGrady recalled making a bombe glacée coppelia for a banquet that he described as "coffee ice cream filled with praline and decorated with whipped cream and liquor coffee beans" (via Marie Claire). So decadent. So royal. And so very fit for a queen.
What was Princess Diana's favourite food? ›
Lady Di, as she was also known, was very health conscious and in keeping with this life choice, her favorite meal — according to the royal chef who cooked for her for four years — was an oddly normal offering: stuffed bell peppers.
