Queen Camilla’s son Tom Buck Bowles reveals the secrets behind some of the most decadent royal recipes in his new book, Cooking with the Crown.
But as well as sharing the Queen Mother’s famous Dubonnet cocktails and his mother’s simple porridge recipe, Parker Bowles also revealed that his mother and stepfather King Charles share a surprising and passionate hobby.
Apparently, the two enjoyed mushroom hunting and “were fiercely competitive when it came to harvesting,” the food writer wrote.
According to reports, the book daily mailBarker Bowles said King Charles and Queen Camilla were “a bit obsessed” with mushrooms and even tried to steal them from each other.
Barker Bowles said the monarch relied on his long-standing love of picking and foraging mushrooms to survive after the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, at 96.
According to The Daily Beast, on the day his mother died, the then-Prince Charles “spent an hour at his mother’s bedside at Balmoral Castle before heading off alone to nearby Birkhall to collect mushrooms.”
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On his way back from picking mushrooms, he receives a phone call reminding him that his mother has died and that he is officially the King of England.
In the book, Queen Camilla’s Son also reveals the differences in the eating habits of the two royals, and how King Charles is committed to healthy, clean, farm-to-table eating.
“No one knew food and farming better than the King, from the finest British cheeses, to rare breeds of sheep and cattle, to traditional varieties of plums, apples and pears,” Bowles wrote, continuing the description. Called the “real food hero”.
“He walks the talk,” the cookbook author continued. “The King has long spoken about the importance of sustainable agriculture and there is no waste on his table.”
In addition to the Queen’s dedication to sustainability – which includes a pantry filled with “game, beef and lamb” as well as fruit and seasonal vegetables such as “peas, strawberries, raspberries and beets” – Queen Camilla ‘s son says King Charles skips lunch, and instead of eating at noon, enjoys a serious (but somehow still relaxing) afternoon tea.
“Yet everywhere, tea is a serious but also very relaxing meal,” he reveals in his new book. “While the dinner was far removed from the official pomp and circumstance, it was certainly very laid-back.”
