Darren McGrady previously described a typical Christmas day for the royals, with women having just sliced fruit, toast and coffee delivered to the rooms, but men tucking into eggs, bacon, mushrooms

Female royals enjoy a light breakfast while male royals dig into a hearty meal in the dining room, according to a former chef.

Ex-royal cook Darren McGrady previously described a typical Christmas day for the Queen’s family, with women having just sliced fruit, toast and coffee delivered to the rooms, while men tuck into eggs, bacon, mushrooms – and more.

This year, however, was not a typical royal gathering, as the Queen opted to stay in Windsor due to rising Covid cases.

According to Mr McGrady though, the women usually have breakfast in their rooms while the men sit together downstairs at the Sandringham Estate, in Norfolk, which The Queen privately owns.

Writing in the Daily Mail, the former chef said: “On Christmas Day, the ladies generally opt for a light breakfast of sliced fruit, half a grapefruit, toast and coffee delivered to their rooms – the Queen’s tray is delivered at exactly 9am.

“The male Royals, meanwhile, come downstairs to the dining room for a hearty breakfast at 8.30am with eggs, bacon and mushrooms, kippers and grilled kidneys, to set them up for the 11am church service at St Mary Magdalene.”

After the service, it’s pre-lunch drinks then everyone sits in their assigned spot for lunch at 1pm prompt.

Mr McGrady revealed what the Queen eats during an interview with Good Housekeeping.

He said: “After church, that’s when they have a big lunch that includes a salad with shrimp or lobster, and a roasted turkey, and all of your traditional side dishes like parsnips, carrots, Brussel sprouts, and Christmas pudding with brandy butter for dessert.

“They stick with the same meal year after year.”

The Queen reportedly doesn’t like watching her pre-recorded Christmas Day speech, so leaves the room to walk her corgis while the rest of the family view it together, MyLondon reports.

Unusually, the royals usually dine a third time on Christmas Day, with the royal chefs putting on an evening buffet for dinner.

Mr McGrady says there’s “a buffet dinner with 15 to 20 different items. It’s always a buffet with the chefs at the table carving.”

The senior chef is invited into the Queen’s dining room for a glass of whiskey during a toast after he carves the meat.