Royal Chef Reveals The Big Difference Between Cooking For Princess Diana Vs. Princes Charles
Not many people get to know the British royal family on a personal level. At least not the way Carolyn Robb did during her time as personal chef to Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
As Robb described to the Daily Mail, she started working as a royal chef for the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1989, after they stole her away from another member of the royal family. Charles and Diana had been having dinner with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, cousins of Queen Elizabeth II, and were incredibly impressed with the food. So, they set up an interview with Robb the next day and hired her immediately. It was an easy switch for Robb — all she had to do was change apartments within Kensington Palace.
A graduate of Cordon Bleu, Robb started working for the royal family when she was just 21 years old, but she knew what she always wanted to do. "[I] grew up with a mum who was very much a royalist," she explained to the Daily Mail. "Preparing roast chicken and shepherd's pie for a family was what I wanted to do. I was in the right place at the right time."
What she ended up doing was cooking for a family whose meals would move apartments, castles, and countries. According to Insider, Robb even went with Charles and Diana on 15 overseas tours. The royal chef also revealed the big difference between cooking for Princess Diana vs. Prince Charles during this time.
Carolyn Robb had to cook differently for Charles and Diana
No matter where they were, Carolyn Robb's main job as royal chef for Prince Charles and Princess Diana was to make sure they were taken care of. "People assume that they live on a diet of caviar and lobster and foie gras, which really isn't the case," Robb told Insider.
Much like with everything else, Charles and Diana were very different people when it came to what they enjoyed eating. Robb told the Sunday Times that Diana "was very easy to cook for and loved simple things" while Charles' meals were based on what was in season, or available in his private gardens at Highgrove (via Twitter). "You wouldn't dare serve asparagus or strawberries in December," Robb added.
Robb previously told Insider that Prince Charles was "passionate" about food and cooking. "He was very hands-on and knew exactly what was in the garden." She would often "spend hours ... discussing menus and picking herbs" to compliment the day's dishes with Prince Charles (via the Daily Mail). "I felt so lucky: While most chefs are on the phone ordering their carrots, I was with the gardener sourcing seeds."
Diana, who preferred salads, also spent a lot of time with her chef. Robb told the Daily Mail that the Princess of Wales "would visit the kitchen on most mornings," and the two would either talk about the daily menu, or they'd talk about Prince William and Prince Harry. Robb remained with William and Harry until she left her job in 2000.