The Seafood Prince Harry Refuses To Eat

Since stepping down as a senior working royal in 2020, Prince Harry has largely embraced a luxurious lifestyle in California with his wife, Meghan Markle. He resides in a $15 million Montecito mansion with his wife and children, spends time playing polo with his pals in Aspen, and often attends high-profile events connected to his philanthropic work and business ventures. However, despite his lavish surroundings, there's one luxury the Duke of Sussex still refuses to indulge in: eating lobster. Meghan revealed this surprising detail on an episode of her Netflix show "With Love, Meghan," on which she casually disclosed to renowned Spanish chef José Andrés that her husband doesn't like lobster.

Given the seafood's reputation as a luxury delicacy, Prince Harry's aversion may seem surprising. Lobster costs are high due to limited supply and increased demand, but with the couple's reported combined net worth of $60 million, affordability is unlikely to be the issue. So his dislike for lobster may stem from a long-standing royal protocol that discourages the British royal family from eating shellfish, especially during official engagements and international tours. Shellfish recalls have affected millions — the seafood carries a higher risk of food poisoning than many other foods because of toxins and contamination. For someone who spent most of his life as a royal navigating tightly packed schedules, Prince Harry likely became accustomed to avoiding lobster because it could potentially cause minor illness and disrupt his royal duties.

Aside from royal protocol, it also appears that Princess Diana's son never really liked lobster from the get-go. Former royal chef Darren McGrady confirmed this on Instagram while reacting to the revelation in Meghan Markle's Netflix series. "It's true that Prince Harry was never a fan of lobster. His mother loved it but would never order it when out with friends. She thought it too expensive," he wrote (via Hello!). Whenever Lady Diana had lobster thermidor at home, Harry and his brother, Prince William, would have baby back ribs and corn instead, along with a dessert such as ice cream, he said. On a side note, this may explain how ice cream, and in particular, banana ice cream, made it to the list of the British royal family's favorite foods.

Apart from shellfish, Harry likely avoids other foods out of habit after adhering to royal dining rules for so long. For instance, he may not be a fan of foie gras since his father, King Charles, banned the dish from royal residences. In a 2008 open letter, Charles reportedly indicated that he had forbidden royal chefs from buying the French delicacy due to the practice of force-feeding ducks or geese to produce it. Spicy foods may also be off the table, considering royals avoid them during tours and engagements to prevent stomach discomfort and other digestive issues. The same is true for tap water. Royals only drink bottled water when traveling. Other food items that have knowingly been removed from royal menus include garlic, rare meats, and even sugar in tea.