{"id":289721,"date":"2026-07-07T22:42:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T22:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/289721\/"},"modified":"2026-07-07T22:42:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T22:42:11","slug":"queen-elizabeth-would-press-a-button-to-get-prince-william-one-treat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/289721\/","title":{"rendered":"Queen Elizabeth Would “Press a Button” to Get Prince William One Treat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Darren McGrady served as a chef to Queen Elizabeth<\/a> before moving over to work for Princess Diana<\/a>, and the former palace employee has shared the stark differences between the two households. Speaking to Heart Bingo<\/a>, McGrady used the example of Prince William<\/a>\u2019s favorite ice cream to show how \u201crelaxed\u201d it was at Kensington Palace<\/a> versus Buckingham Palace.<\/p>\n

When William had a craving for ice cream, it was available to him at the press of a button at Buckingham Palace<\/a>, McGrady shared, but it entailed a rather long wait.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I worked for The Queen<\/a>, Prince William loved dark chocolate and asked for chocolate ice cream,\u201d McGrady said. \u201cThe Queen would press a button, the page would come, she\u2019d ask for the ice cream, and it triggered a long chain: head chef, pastry chef, silver pantry, glass pantry, linen room. Finally, 20 minutes later, William got his homemade ice cream presented to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Prince\n<\/p>\n

Prince William enjoys ice cream with Princess Kate in the town of Mumbles, Wales in February 2020.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

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\"Prince\n<\/p>\n

Prince William is handed a tub of ice cream during a visit to the Queens Bay Lodge Care Home in 2021.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

However, Diana ran a more casual kitchen environment. \u201cAt Kensington, it was much more relaxed,\u201d McGrady said. \u201cWilliam would walk into the kitchen and say, \u2018Darren, can I have some chocolate ice cream, please?\u2019 I\u2019d say, \u2018Help yourself.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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McGrady continued that William would \u201cgrab Haagen-Dazs chocolate chip, that was his favorite, open it, and sit in the windowsill eating it.\u201d Princess Diana<\/a> was also known to have a kitchen catch-up with Darren and the rest of the staff, often hanging out for snacks and gossip.<\/p>\n

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As for Queen Elizabeth, the former chef said that the late royal \u201chad a sweet tooth<\/a> and loved dark chocolate<\/a>, especially anything over 60 percent cocoa,\u201d adding, \u201cAny dessert with chocolate on the menu was sure to be chosen.\u201d<\/p>\n

King Charles<\/a>, on the other hand, isn’t so much a cocoa fan. \u201cCharles doesn\u2019t like chocolate, and goes more for the fruit options,\u201d McGrady revealed. \u201cHe would much rather have an orange olive oil tea cake or banana bread.\u201d<\/p>\n

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