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Being Royal means you have access to the best chefs – lots of them – and the biggest kitchens. The late Queen, for example, reportedly had 20 Royal chefs personally working for her. Christmas time in particular is when The Firm gets to indulge the most. So, what is on the Christmas menu? Experts have shared some mouth-watering details.

Turkey-and-trimmings

At the official Christmas Lunch hosted by King Charles on Tuesday at Windsor Castle, the family ate their traditional turkey-and-trimmings lunch.

Last month, the former royal chef Darren McGrady shared the delicious contents of that traditional meal he will have made many times.

He said: “The turkey is served with mashed and roast potatoes, chestnut or sage and onion stuffing, cranberry sauce and bread sauce.

“Vegetables include brussels sprouts, carrots and roast parsnips.”

Martinis on Christmas Eve

Like the rest of us, the Royals enjoy a drink on Christmas Eve. According to Ingrid Steward of Majesty Magazine, the family is given “lethal” martinis before they have a formal meal.

But in a typically Royal way, they enjoy these in full black tie rather than in cringy Christmas jumpers.

Christmas Breakfast

The next morning, the royal men are given a breakfast fit for a King – a full English – the former royal chef Darren McGrady said.

But for the women, a light, fruit-based breakfast awaits. They might add a boiled egg if they wish.

The light breakfast gives them plenty of time to dress and prepare to stun dozens of photographers on their walk to St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham.

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Christmas Day Lunch

Mr McGrady, who was with the royals from 1982 until 1993 and cooked them seven Christmas Day lunches, said preparing the lunch is a “military operation” that starts “weeks in advance”.

Despite no doubt having a huge variety to choose from, the royals have the “same meal each year”, Mr McGrady explained.

The post-church meal includes: “Salad with shrimp or lobster, and a roasted turkey, and all of your traditional side dishes like parsnips, carrots, Brussels sprouts and Christmas pudding with brandy butter for dessert.”

Mr McGrady continued: “They didn’t do hams or anything, just traditional turkeys. We did three turkeys for the Queen and her family in the royal dining room, one for the children’s nursery and then more for the 100 or so staff, so everyone had a Christmas lunch.”

During McGrady’s time at least, the children spent this meal seperated from the adults. The children ate in the nursery until they could behave properly with the adults, he said.

He said that for the Queen, “there was never a case of putting a high chair at the table with a little baby squealing and throwing food. It was Victorian”.

After the meal, they have a walk around the 20,000 acre Sandringham estate before huddling together for the Christmas address, which will be by The King for the first time.

This is topped off with a royal afternoon tea during which they enjoy a chocolate yule log, McGrady shared.

During the tea, the adults also enjoy fruit cake, mince pies, scones and sandwiches and a smaller cake is given to the children.

A buffet for dinner

To finish the Christmas Day festivities, the family enjoys all the “opulent” variety a royal buffer has to offer, according to McGrady.

According to Mike Tindall, the Christmas Day buffer is a cold one as staff are given the day off.

Talking about Christmas Day in 2018 on JOE UK’s House of Rugby podcast, he said: “Christmas Day is a little quieter because it’s actually a cold buffet because they give everyone the day off, and their big day is Christmas Eve.”

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