King Charles breaking a tradition he followed for years: He has now started eating lunch

King Charles III has always been particular about his food, adhering to an organic diet for decades. As a long-time advocate for environmental sustainability, he champions a natural and healthy approach to eating. After he became the monarch he also made a significant change to the royal menu.

Additionally, his meals are often sourced from his own gardens, and he prefers to eat organic produce whenever possible. The monarch’s love for mushrooms is also widely known and documented. His disciplined lifestyle and approach to food have often been admired but recently he has incorporated a massive change in his life.

King Charles has started eating lunch

For many years, King Charles has had a habit of skipping lunch. MailOnline has now reported that the monarch has changed this habit. This comes after a cancer diagnosis earlier this year, the King had been encouraged to introduce a midday meal into his routine.

As such, on orders of his wife Queen Camilla, aides and doctors, the 75-year-old has grudgingly started eating lunch.

Aligning with his health-conscious diet, his choice of lunch is as unique as it can be. To maintain his energy levels during treatment, King Charles now consumes a light lunch consisting of half an avocado, a far cry from the larger meals others may expect. A source said:

With some reluctance, he now has something to eat at lunchtime – a snack, really. He now eats half an avocado to sustain him through the day. It's important, particularly if you have got an illness.

The superfood is consumed only for utilitarian purposes and without any toast.

As part of his overall approach to maintaining health, the King continues to avoid meat and dairy on specific days, reports The Independent. The King is also fond of homemade bread made with nutrient-dense flours like rye and spelt, along with eggs and side salads served with his meals. His dietary choices reflect his personal and environmental values, as well as his need for a well-balanced diet, which is essential for anyone undergoing treatment for a serious illness.

Why did King Charles skip lunch?

Prior to his diagnosis, King Charles was famous for his habit of avoiding lunch altogether. This peculiarity was even acknowledged by Clarence House during his 70th birthday celebrations when it released a list of 70 facts about the then-Prince. Fact number 20 stated:

The Prince does not eat lunch.

According to Gordon Rayner, former royal correspondent at The Telegraph, the King believed that lunch was a ‘luxury’ that interfered with his busy schedule. His former Press Secretary Julian Payne once said:

The King doesn’t eat lunch; so, an early lesson I learnt when out on the road with him was to have a big breakfast or bring a few snack bars with you to keep you going.

The working day is pretty relentless. Beginning with the radio news headlines and a breakfast of seasonal fruit salad and seeds with tea.

Read more:

Tom Parker Bowles reveals King Charles’ strict dining rule: ‘There is no waste'

How tall is King Charles? The heights of Royal Family members revealed

King Charles’ unusual habit that leads to disagreement with Queen Camilla: ‘A lot of banter goes on'

Sources used:

Daily Mail: A lunch fit for a king? That's half an avocado for Charles... and he definitely doesn't smash it like a millennial!

The Independent: What does King Charles eat every day?