People Think Meghan Markle Just Broke This Major Food Rule — And They’re Shocked, Obviously

By now, you probably know that Duchess Meghan Markle has some strict rules to follow. Sure, it must be tough to go from an actress in a television series to a royal with totally different responsibilities, but surely the new job has its perks. Based on what fans have seen so far, it seems like Markle strives to be respectful toward her new family and their traditions, but also isn’t afraid to do things her own way. Case in point: her diet. She reportedly ate something that people assumed was on the “don’t even think about it list,” but things turned out fine. So let’s all calm down, people!

There are purposeful reasons as to why the Queen doesn’t want Markle to eat certain foods while outside of their home. Simply put, certain food comes with a bit of a risk. Garlic, for example, is a biggie. While it has a bunch of nutritional merit (like fighting the symptoms of a common cold, for example) it can often leave breath a little funky. So, why risk it when talking directly with other important world influencers?

But, it wasn’t garlic that the Duchess of Sussex was caught eating. It was seafood, while dining out with her husband Prince Harry on July 11th.

The two were photographed at a restaurant called Delahunt. Simon Perry from People spilled on what they ordered.

What a thrill for the staff at this small independent restaurant. Meghan dined on hake and saffron potatoes while Harry had lamb -- and they shared a half of Guinness. https://t.co/nJMcGdDmgN

— Simon Perry (@SPerryPeoplemag) July 11, 2018

In case you’re curious, hake is a lot like cod, and it’s a fish commonly served at seafood restaurants. A lot of fans questioned whether or not she was throwing royal protocol straight out the window.

But unclutch those pearls — Markle was actually doing the right thing. While eating fish might look questionable, it’s actually shellfish that she was told to avoid. So crabs, lobsters, clams, mussels — those sorts of things. Food poisoning from shellfish can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and all of the sorts of symptoms you don’t want to get as a royal out on the town. It’s often a little easier to ensure that fish is properly cooked.

While it’s a bit of a bummer to limit your foods while you travel, the protocol is in place for the right reason. So it’s such a relief that Meghan Markle is doing her best to respect it.

The So Yummy editorial team gave Meghan Markle’s go-to pasta sauce recipe (zucchini that’s been cooked for five hours) a shot, and we were surprised by how much we loved it. Best of all? It doesn’t contain garlic OR shellfish, so if you want to channel your inner Duchess, this pasta is royal-approved. Read all about it here!