“A GREAT EATER”

Evening Star, Issue 20958, 24 November 1931, Page 15

“A GREAT EATER”

KING EDWARD’S DIET Too good a judge of food to be a glutton, King Edward was nevertheless a great eater, says Colonel Sowell in his book dealing with the King’s life. Letters which tho King wrote, chiefly to his great friend, General Sir Arthur Paget, were recently discovered. It took months to decipher them, owing to His Majesty’s crabbed handwriting. Colonel Sewell says that the King had a glass of milk at 7 a.ra. ; and enjoyed a breakfast appalling in length and solidity, including eggs and bacon. He lunched on numerous dishes, including lamb and chicken, and consumed a huge tea. He dined on five or six coures, accompanied by Rhino wine or champagne and liqueur brandy. Once, towards tho end of his life, ho sat clown to dinner at the Biarritz, declaring: ‘‘ I am not hungry.” Nevertheless he ate course after course with relish until other guests were gasping for breath. He lost interest in the meal when fruit arrived, and astonished all by asking disappointedly: “ Why is there no cheese?” The book reveals him as a merry companion and a sincere friend in times of trouble. He was disappointed at the Prince Consort forbidding him a military career “ owing to tho temptations anci unprofitable companionships of military life.”