As summer rolls in, fond memories of Princess Diana wave through our minds. Between her birthday at the beginning of July and the anniversary of her death in August, Lady Di’s legacy shines bright in the sunny months. Her “of the people” vibe is imprinted on the fabric of royalty, paving the way for regal figures, like her sons Princes William and Harry , to be a little more down to earth with the public. One of our favorite things about Diana was the way she attempted to keep her boy’s lives as normal as possible. And that included trips to McDonald’s!
© GettyImagesFormer Royal Chef Darren McGrady, who cooked for Queen Elizabeth , Prince Philip , Princess Diana and sons William and Harry for over 15 years, opened up to Marie Claire a while back about the royal’s eating habits, and Diana’s style seems pretty on brand!
“I remember the Princess came into the kitchen one day and said, ‘Cancel lunch for the boys I’m taking them out, we’re going to McDonald’s,’” he told the publication. “‘And I said, ‘Oh my god your royal highness, I can do that, I can do burgers.’” However, the burgers weren’t what Diana desired.
“She said, ‘No, it’s the toy they want.’ Yeah, the boys loved McDonald’s, and going out to pizza, and having potato skins—sort of the American foods. They were royal princes but had children’s palates.” Of course, Diana, herself, had a pretty healthy appetite. “She liked dishes like stuffed bell peppers and stuffed eggplant… she loved fish,” Darren recalled.
Since the icon is unfortunately no longer with us, it’s hard to truly confirm such sweet stories. However, we delight in anything uncovered about the forever-36-year-old royal. For instance, vintage footage recently surfaced of her kicking off her heels and partaking in a mom’s race at Prince Harry’s school, Wetherby School Sports Day, in June of 1991. Despite her formal wear, Diana sprinted barefoot through the grass with a good-natured flare. These are the ways we like to remember Lady Di.
