King Charles Has Famously Always Skipped Lunch—But This Millennial-Approved Favorite Has Changed His Habit

Many a royal expert has long proclaimed that King Charles’s preference is a two-meal diet that includes breakfast and dinner, but no lunch. Well, his recent cancer diagnosis has required him to make some adjustments, including the addition of a light lunch into his daily routine.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

But what does the monarch choose to eat to help keep up his strength? According to a recent report from the Mail on Sunday , the king now eats half an avocado with “some reluctance” to appease not only his medical team, but his wife, Queen Camilla. He prefers to think of the calorie-dense fruit (which is full of good-for-you fats) as a snack really—and, no, it’s not mashed up the millennial way on toast, as the Mail piece jokes.

Prior to this dietary change, Charles is thought to have viewed lunch as a “luxury” and something he simply didn’t have time for in his busy schedule unless a royal engagement required it. ( Per the Telegraph , he much preferred getting out for a brisk walk instead.) But since his return to work in April , the addition of a midday “meal” (if you can call it that) has had to take priority as he strives to keep his energy up and manage his royal commitments, too. (For the record, his breakfast is typically protein-heavy—a combination of eggs, fruit and muesli, according to Tina Brown’s book, The Palace Papers .)

Of course, Charles’s mealtime habits as monarch have long championed sustainability over excess. Cue this 1985 interview with ITN where he sits by Princess Diana’s side and endures an eyebrow-raising line of questioning about his inclinations toward vegetarianism. (Fast forward to approximately the 3:10-minute mark to watch.)

As for us, we’re pro-avocado over here—but, truly, whatever helps the king feel his best and keep his energy high sounds good to us.

Royal Family Shares Striking Footage of King Charles in Military Uniform in Scotland