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'I've hosted royals at my restaurants - Queen Camilla showed true colours during visit'
Reach Daily Express | April 6, 2026 9:40 PM CST

Renowned restaurateur Jeremy King has welcomed a host of celebrated faces through the doors of his establishments over the years - including royalty such as Princess Diana and Queen Camilla. Reflecting on hosting the current Queen, Jeremy revealed why her personality away from the cameras fills him with the utmost admiration.

He told Hello! Magazine: "There are some people who want to be seen and some who are entirely natural. All I can say is that the Queen is entirely natural.

"She falls into the category of somebody who just wants to be with their guests and not attract attention. There are the people I admire the most."

Once regarded as the hottest spot of the eighties, Jeremy's bistro Le Caprice attracted a glittering clientele, including Sir Elton John and Dame Joan Collins.

The establishment was equally cherished by Princess Diana, who visited regularly prior to her tragic death in 1997.

According to the publication, such distinguished guests were drawn to his restaurant precisely because it offered a sense of normality away from the spotlight - Diana included.

He recalled: "When the Princess of Wales started frequenting the restaurant [in the mid-eighties], she'd walk through the door and very quickly get noticed. There'd be a lot of, 'Don't look now, but it's the Princess of Wales'.

"People would see her sit down, then they would look at the restaurant to see what the reaction was."

Jeremy continued: "They'd expect me to go running over to the table like Uriah Heep, wringing my hands."

However, according to the restaurateur, Diana didn't anticipate such treatment despite her prominent status.

"She didn't want that. I'd go and talk to the least-known person in the place," he continued. "I think she thought that I offered sanctuary."

Recalling a specific instance, he mentioned Diana was such a frequent visitor that they regularly arranged combined outings for his staff and hers at Kensington Palace, including one occasion go-karting in Croydon.

"She encouraged me [to take part] because she wanted to beat me, but I declined," he recalled.

Discussing further the connection they developed, he noted that while they weren't friends, she would "talk" and "sometimes confide" in him.

According to the publication, King Charles is also an admirer of his restaurant, Simpson's, located in Strand. The establishment closed its doors during the Covid-19 pandemic but has since reopened.

Meanwhile, BBC Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox also recently opened up about an awkward mishap while meeting the Queen.

She told The Observer: "Yes, she's a laugh. I met her at a celebration for authors that she had at Clarence House.

"I mistook her daughter, Laura (Lopes), for an author that I half knew, and so I said to Laura, 'Come over. I'll introduce you to the duchess. Let's go over and say hi'.

"Laura played along, so we went over, and it slowly dawned on me who she was, because Camilla was like 'Hiiii' to her own daughter. It came as no surprise at all that Camilla and Jilly Cooper got on really well. I can see them as real kindred spirits," she added.


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