Fit for a King

“AT BOROUGH MARKET, KING CHARLES IS JUST A FOOD OBSESSIVE, CHATTING TO HIS FELLOW FOOD OBSESSIVES”

1. Support small, sustainable food producers

One of the hardest things about being the British monarch must be how tight-lipped you’re expected to remain on any topic deemed even vaguely political. And it must be particularly difficult if you have as many impassioned opinions as King Charles III.

Thankfully for him – and us – his time as Prince of Wales afforded Charles the opportunity to enjoy several decades as an outspoken participant in the public forum before the protocols of monarchy kicked in. Through his speeches, articles, interviews and letters to ministers, we know a lot about his thoughts and passions, which cover a wide range of topics – architecture, conservation, education, medicine. And one of the subjects he’s had most to say about is sustainable food production.

Take this statement from 2021: “To me, it is essential that the contribution of the small-scale family farmer is properly recognised – they must be a key part in any fair, inclusive, equitable and just transition to a sustainable future. To do this, we must ensure that Britain’s family farmers have the tools and the confidence to meet the rapid transition to regenerative farming systems that our planet demands.” That could very easily be a direct quote from the Borough Market Food Policy.

Or this from 2019. We should, he said, be celebrating “products that tell a really good story, emphasise the importance of native breeds, support family farms and put soil health and fertility at the centre of the entire process”. It’s a description that fits so much of what Borough Market sells, from the unpasteurised Sussex milk of Hook & Son to the colourful chard of Hickson & Daughter, to the cured meats sourced from small Italian producers by The Parma Ham & Mozzarella Stand.

2. Chat to a trader

It’s because of this sense of alignment with the values of Borough’s traders that the new King and Queen have been regular visitors to the Market. They were our guests of honour in November 2005, marking the 250th anniversary of Borough Market’s current incarnation. They returned in February 2013 when the magnificent new Three Crown Square hall was re-opened after years of building work on the overhead viaduct. They were here again in December 2017 to show their support in the aftermath of the terror attack. On each occasion they spent several hours talking, shaking hands and tasting eagerly presented samples. Nothing about the royal couple’s engagement with the traders, their stories and their products felt cursory or staged. Here, Charles is just a food obsessive, chatting to his fellow food obsessives.

3. Examine some architecture

The King loves architecture. Or at least some architecture: the historic type. Borough Market is full of plenty of that: a mélange of eras and styles from the past two centuries or so. There’s the beautifully ornate Floral Hall portico, which was built beside Covent Garden market in the 1850s and transposed to Borough less than 20 years ago but looks as though it’s been here forever. There are the striking Art Deco gates on the high street, which were first opened in 1933. There are even nine bollards and a lamp post in the Green Market, all of which have a Grade II listing from Historic England. Come for the incredible food, stay for the bollards.

4. Enjoy a taste of the West Country

“I have put my heart and soul into Highgrove,” the King has said of Duchy Home Farm, his organic farm on the Highgrove estate. “All the things I have tried to do in this small corner of Gloucestershire have been the physical expression of a personal philosophy.” As a West Country farmer, he’s always been active in promoting the region’s culinary gems. Borough Market is home to many of these: the cured meats of Capreolus, the cheeses of Bath Soft Cheese and Trethowan Brothers, the seafood and venison of Shellseekers Fish & Game, and the meat and other local produce sold at Wild Beef.

5. Buy some rare breed meat

When you read through his long list of food-related patronages, it’s clear that one of the King’s abiding passions is rare breed farm animals: the traditional, slow-growing, regionally distinctive breeds that were almost wiped out during the 20th century rush to engineer bigger, meatier, blander-tasting animals that reach maturity much more quickly. As well as being patron of the Rare Breed Survival Trust, he lends his support to just about every breeders’ association working to sustain our native livestock. Borough Market is a haven for these delicious traditional meats. Among many others, you’ll find Welsh Black and Devon cattle at Wild Beef, White Park cattle and Hampshire Down sheep at Northfield Farm, and Lincoln Red cattle and Tamworth pigs at Ginger Pig.

6. Volunteer for Plan Zheroes

One of the major themes of the coronation is a drive to encourage people to volunteer in their communities. If you’d like to make a difference, we have a great option. Twice a week, the Plan Zheroes organisation collects surplus food from our traders. This food, no longer perfect but still good to eat, is given to more than 20 charities to help feed vulnerable people across London. Plan Zheroes relies on volunteers. If you’d like to help combat food waste while supporting your fellow Londoners, sign up now.

7. Explore the flavours of the Commonwealth

Across much of the Commonwealth, important discussions are currently taking place about the inseparable ties between monarchy and colonialism and whether to follow the likes of Barbados and Trinidad in embracing a republican future. But for now at least, King Charles is head of state of 15 countries spanning the globe. As a result, this year’s coronation is an event whose significance reaches far beyond these shores. Borough Market has two stalls that bring some of the flavours of the Commonwealth to London. Doreen at De La Grenade imports beautiful jams, jellies and pepper sauces from Grenada, a Caribbean island famous for its nutmeg and mace, while the sauces, seasonings, chutneys and dressings at Dawn Smith’s Pimento Hill stand provide a vivid taste of Jamaica.

8. Pick up a tea towel

At times of great ceremonial importance, what is it that we do as a nation? We buy commemorative tea towels. Head to The Borough Market Store for a classic example of the genre.