Our longtime world-wide partnership with Carolyn Robb, formerly then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s executive chef for 13 decades, has enriched guests’ travels in the United kingdom in the course of special shows loaded with at the rear of-the-scenes stories (and recipes). It’s been 1 thirty day period since the passing of Queen Elizabeth, and we’re honored to share with you Carolyn’s private, heartfelt reflections.
Wednesday night (September 7th 2022), all through a cheerful Tauck England, Scotland & Wales tour farewell dinner, I talked at length to the team about my previous boss, Prince Charles, and why, in the fullness of time, I understood he would make a excellent King. Significantly less than 24 hours later His Majesty King Charles III ascended to the throne. Even as lovely bouquets are laid in excellent swathes in each and every corner of the nation, by these shelling out their respects to our late Queen, it nevertheless in some way appears surreal and inconceivable that our one ‘constant’ above the past 70 yrs, is no for a longer period with us.
During my amazing 13 many years as a Royal chef, I was hugely privileged to meet The Queen on numerous situations each and every a single so memorable in its personal way. All through my first number of months at Kensington Palace, when I was cooking for TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and their small children, I accompanied them to Windsor Castle, where they had been becoming a member of the annual Royal Family members Xmas gathering. On Christmas morning, (the a single working day in the 12 months when I had assumed that the Queen would not undertake any ‘duties’) I was amazed to be termed to 1 of the drawing rooms in the castle, along with all the other associates of staff members who have been on obligation that working day. Her Majesty shook each of us by the hand, claimed a few words and handed out fantastically wrapped items. I was thrilled with the exquisite lavender cleaning soap that she kindly gave me, but that paled into insignificance as opposed to the gift of her time. Her words to me had been warm, engaging and humorous and most notably, it was an ‘un-rushed’ conversation, despite there becoming a space complete of folks for her to ‘get through’ prior to she could unwind and take pleasure in the day’s festivities with her household. She commented on the point that I was doing the job on Christmas working day I would like I had had the presence of intellect at the time to inquire her if she at any time, ever gave herself a ‘day off’.
I think I know what the remedy would have been.