King Charles Has The Ultimate Millennial Lunch

King Charles’ diet has been in the limelight a lot lately. First a new cookbook from Tom Parker Bowles described his habit for daily afternoon tea, and now we have intel about what the monarch likes to eat for lunch.

What Does King Charles Have For Lunch?

According to Parker Bowles’ book, Cooking & The Crown: Royal Recipes From Queen Victoria to King Charles III, the King has spent a lifetime skipping lunch. This was also confirmed in a list of facts released in 2018 by Clarence House to celebrate his 70th birthday, one being that Charles ‘does not eat lunch’. But recently, Queen Camilla and Charles’ doctors have convinced him to start eating in the middle of the day – a bid to keep his strength up as he recovers from cancer.

The King’s dish of choice? Half an avocado. A source told the Daily Mail: ‘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.’ 

A love for avocado-on-toast has become the poster dish for millennials in recent years, and is now a mainstay on brunch menus across the country. But Charles eschews the addition of bread, instead preferring his avocado on its own. So what’s he gaining from a daily avo?

Photograph: Hugo Burnand/Royal Household 2024/Cabinet Office

What Are The Health Benefits Of Avocados?

Widely considered a superfood, avocados are packed with goodness: high in vitamins C, E, K and B6, as well as magnesium and potassium. They’re also a great source of healthy fats – these support skin health, and keep us fuller for longer.

Eating avocados also has benefits for heart health: researchers found eating one a day for five weeks can help lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. A study from 2022 published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, meanwhile, found that consuming avocados is associated with a 16 to 22 percent decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Regular consumption of this fruit may be beneficial for the brain too, particularly in older people. This study published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that older individuals who eat avocado had significantly greater cognitive scores than those who didn’t. Plus, we all know how important gut health is for overall wellbeing, and avocados can help with that. They’re rich in fibre, which plays a key role in feeding the good bacteria in the gut.