Kate Middleton, the little princes and their very special fish & chip

Even Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, has a very special way of saying goodbye to summer, and of carving out a little family moment with her children, before the little princes George (who recently turned eleven), Charlotte and Louis go back to school. One of those things that, like many others, makes the British people feel that after all the future Queen of England is “one of them”, a mother who lives September with that mixture of nostalgia and relief due to the fact that everything is returning to normal. The children go their own way, and if in part everyone needs to get back on track with their daily lives, the separation after so much time spent all together on vacation is not an easy thing emotionally. And so there it is, the way to reap the fruit of summer time: a last bit of vacation, a mum-dad-children trip with a few special cuddles. In Kate & William’s case, a fish & chips place not too far from the sea.

As per tradition, the royal family retires a few weeks in Balmoralthe Scottish summer residence so loved by Queen Elizabeth (so much so that she chose it to end her days), to enjoy the last period of vacation surrounded by peace and nature. It is no coincidence that a few days ago, it was precisely at Balmoral that Kate Middleton made her third public appearance after her cancer diagnosis, to go to mass accompanied by William and George.

Just before moving to Scotland, however, the Princes of Wales wanted to do a little jump to enjoy the sea air with the children at Anmer Halltheir home on the Norfolk coast. A few days together without institutional protocols, so much so that the entire family was spotted eating fish & chips at theEric’s Fish & Chip Shop in Thornham, Norfolk. A dish much loved by all the Royals, as well as by all the English: Queen Camilla described it as one of her favourite foods, and even Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II indulged in it from time to time, during her stays at Balmoral.

What’s special about Eric’s Fish & Chip Shop?

Eric’s Fish & Chip – which has two different outlets, run by Eric Snaith together with his wife Lydia – is a typical British fish & chips, which harks back to the traditional models of the past, prepared with fresh fish in a batter made with local Suffolk beer and accompanied not only by traditional chips (from local suppliers), but also by homemade sauces (such as tartar sauce and curry sauce, the customer’s favourite) and the traditional pea cream. You can also order scampi, sausages, fish or chicken burgers and small dishes to eat tapas-style, such as BBQ chicken wings or fried cod bites. Of course, the very English black pudding cannot be missed. All this in a simple, informal and family-friendly environment, and with a menu with very affordable prices, considering that a plate of fish & chips starts at seven pounds and goes up to a maximum of thirteen in the “large” size. Nothing sophisticated and aristocratic, in short, but simple English cuisine to go, with some particularly delicious recipes that seem to have been created specifically to please children.

For example, a house specialty – which we imagine the little princes indulged in – is the very delicious «deep fried jam sandwich»a jam-filled sandwich, fried and covered in sugar. Irresistible, indeed. One of those guilty pleasures you can indulge in on vacation, when exceptions to the rules are more frequent, even for the Royals.