We all have those items we rarely leave home without and the Princess Royal is no exception. However her handbag essential is a lot more out-there than, for example, Kate’s go-to Clarins lip balm, or a packet of tissues. When she’s undertaking royal engagements, Princess Anne is said to "always" carry a specific fruit in her bag.
As reported by Daily Mail, in royal author Robert Hardman’s bestselling biography, Queen Of Our Times: The Life of Queen Elizabeth II, Zara Tindall allegedly revealed that her mother "always has a kiwi fruit" with her. The book went on to claim that Princess Anne apparently often prefers to pull out a kiwi from her bag and eat that rather than having lunch.
As handbag must-haves go, it doesn’t come much more unusual than that. It also raises the question of whether she carries a spoon with her or eats it skin-and-all, though sadly that wasn’t detailed by Robert. Either way, Princess Anne’s snack of choice is a very clever one.
Kiwis are incredibly high in Vitamins C and K and are also a great option if you want to get more fibre in your diet and more antioxidants. They’re also easier for the King’s sister to carry around in her favourite handbags without them spilling juice everywhere like berries might.
Princess Anne, who is about to celebrate her 75th birthday on 15th August, has clearly found this snack works for her and her undeniably busy schedule. She’s consistently found to be one of the hardest-working royals based on her number of engagements and apparently "never stops for refreshments" during the day until her duties are over.
This was revealed to Vanity Fair by an aide and the senior royal herself remarked, "I think during the day, eating’s not really an issue". Princess Anne isn’t the only one who prefers not to take lunch breaks, as her elder brother reportedly prefers to skip this meal too.
It’s been suggested that King Charles has broken this life-long habit since he was diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and now eats half an avocado - a healthy, light option like Anne’s kiwi fruit. The Princess’s favourite game recipe is a lot richer, though, and isn’t something you’d eat everyday.
Back in 2020 she guest edited an issue of Country Life in honour of her 70th birthday and revealed that she loves devilled pheasant. You’re probably not alone if you’ve never even heard of this dish, let alone tried it.
Yet it’s quite simple to make if you like the taste of game birds, as John Williams, Executive Chef at The Ritz Hotel explained to the magazine after being asked to recreate it.
"Basically, a couple of whole pheasants are poached, then taken off the bone, shredded and kept warm in the poaching juices," he said. "You just add freshly whipped cream, left in the fridge for an hour to stiffen, mixed with a good amount of [Sharwood’s] Green Label mango chutney."
Unfortunately, pheasant season for this year isn’t until October, so Princess Anne won’t be tucking into this particular delicacy on her 75th birthday. She and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence are reportedly going to be sailing in Scotland on her big day before joining the King and Queen at Balmoral Castle.
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