When we think of a typical day in the life of a royal family member, their lives are a lot different than ours. While the average person gets up in the morning to a startling alarm set on a clock or cell phone, a lone bagpiper plays outside King Charles‘ window at 9 a.m. every morning for the monarch to rise.

Most of us aren’t waking up in castles either with staffers rushing to our aide to make sure we have everything we need. Because that is a reality for King Charles, most people assume he has a very regal way of receiving his breakfast too. But one of his former assistants is sharing that what the monarch does for breakfast after he wakes up might surprise you.

Here’s more on that and why the king refuses to eat lunch.

What King Charles has never done with his breakfast might surprise you

Grant Harrold was King Charles’ butler for seven years. During his time working for the now-monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla (formerly Camilla Parker Bowles), Harrold’s duties included not only that of a butler but also valet, housekeeper, house manager, and driver.

Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, Harrold said that every morning “the day would always begin with breakfast … the royals would always take it in the dining room. You would certainly never catch the king having breakfast in bed.

Harrold added: “Royal engagements would start at 10 O’clock. The king would hardly ever stop for lunch and engagements would continue throughout the day.”

However, the former royal butler did explain that “often one of their engagements later in the day would usually involve an afternoon tea to make up for the lack of lunch. The royals are huge advocates for afternoon tea. This is traditionally taken between 4-6 p.m. All engagements are usually finished by the early evening, but sadly this is when the office work begins. Charles doesn’t really stop.

“ Dinner will usually be served between 8-11 p.m., it is difficult to be precise on that as it depends on what kind of dinner it was. A state banquet would obviously be very different to a normal evening meal.  This would change drastically on the weekends if there is a shoot party. Then it is all about the guests and is much more regimented.”

The king’s refusal to eat lunch doesn’t sit well with all of his staffers

The information about King Charles not eating lunch was first revealed in 2018 when Buckingham Palace released 70 facts about then-Prince Charles and explained that he doesn’t eat lunch.

The Daily Mail noted that the monarch’s choice to skip the midday meal isn’t something his staffers, who are with him all day when he travels for official royal visits, are very fond of.

A royal courtier said: “When we do day visits or foreign tours, he can go the whole day without stopping for a break, which means we all have to miss our lunch as well.”

That courtier added: “He doesn’t seem to notice all the rumbling stomachs around him. You just learn that you have to have a big breakfast on those days.”