The Royal Dining Menu: George III and George IV in Focus 0 7

Surprisingly, the royal cuisine of George III is not so far removed from our everyday diet. Today, we can effortlessly serve greens or strawberries even in winter, whereas in the 19th century, this was available only to kings and nobles.

Researchers from the University of California, the University of Birmingham, Leeds Beckett University, and the University of Essex presented detailed data on the culinary preferences of two British monarchs: George III at Kew Palace and Prince Regent George IV at Carlton House from 1788 to 1813. Their study included 3,000 unique dishes and numerous recipes.

Each dish was classified by its main ingredients and cooking methods, allowing for the collection of over 1.3 million values of valuable scientific data that create a complete picture of the royal family's daily diet.

Co-author of the study, Dr. Adam Crymble (UCL Information Studies), notes: “By examining the cookbooks of the Georgian royal courts, we gained fascinating insights into the eating habits of King George III, his son George IV, and their entourage. Many dishes, such as Turkish kebabs, appear only once or twice, indicating that many experiments were conducted in the palace kitchens, including dishes brought from abroad.”

Crymble also adds: “Children in the palaces often had different eating habits than adults, generally their diet was less abundant and included more healthy vegetables, suggesting that even princes and princesses ate 'baby food'.”

Co-author of the study, Dr. Sarah Fox (University of Birmingham), emphasizes: “The data presented in our study truly demonstrate the differences in the eating habits of the king and the prince regent. George IV was renowned for his love of the finest things in life, including gastronomy.”

Sarah Fox describes George III's preferences as follows: “King George III preferred a simpler, rustic cuisine; his culinary preferences included dishes with eggs, larks, and ortolans, as well as out-of-season vegetables, which were among the most expensive foods consumed by the king. The prince regent, on the other hand, enjoyed exquisite desserts, a variety of alcoholic beverages, and meat dishes with sauces that accompanied every meal.”

The data were collected from two kitchen journals kept at Kew Palace and Carlton House. These records contain the daily rations of both palaces from 1788 to 1813, including two periods when George III suffered from severe mental disorders.

The Royal Menu of George III

The favorite dishes of King George III included:

Chicken broth
Sweet pastries
Roast capon (a specially fattened castrated rooster)
Roast lamb
Asparagus
Lobster
Spinach
Artichokes
Roast chicken
Roast beef

The recipes described in the royal cookbooks demonstrate the influence of the British Empire on the gastronomic habits of the British. Sugar, spices, chocolate, tea, and coffee all reflect changes in the food habits of British society in the 18th century. The English love for foreign cuisines is also evidenced by the appearance of macaroni with parmesan and Turkish kebabs on George III's table.

Dr. Fox adds: “George III really enjoyed roast chicken, and for dessert, he preferred fruit pie or pudding. These dishes are not very different from those we enjoy today.”

Fox emphasizes: “This data is of immense significance for understanding the habits and behaviors of royal family members, courtiers, and even servants, from the king and queen to their maids. They show how people lived in public and private life, how social status influenced diet, and how doctors regulated the connection between health and nutrition.”