Princess Diana was often ahead of her time—in fashion, charity work, and even in the kitchen. While much of the world embraced the full English breakfast or toast and jam in the 1990s, Diana quietly followed a much healthier morning ritual that wouldn’t become mainstream until decades later. According to her former personal chef, Darren McGrady, the Princess of Wales enjoyed Bircher muesli every single morning—what we now recognize as overnight oats, a dish that wouldn’t trend until the 2010s.
Today, overnight oats are a staple on social media food pages, praised for being both nutritious and convenient. But long before they went viral on Instagram or TikTok, Diana was enjoying this wholesome dish every day, not as a fad but as a cornerstone of her clean-eating lifestyle.
A Royal Discovery in Switzerland
In 1993, Diana visited a health retreat in Switzerland, where she was introduced to a traditional version of Bircher muesli, a cold oat-based dish created by Swiss doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner in the early 1900s. The Princess was immediately hooked.
Upon returning to Kensington Palace, she told Chef Darren McGrady, “I want this every morning.” From that point on, Bircher muesli became part of her daily breakfast routine.
What Was in Diana’s Bowl?
Darren McGrady, who cooked for Diana for several years, revealed that her breakfast muesli wasn’t just healthy—it was also surprisingly modern.
Her version typically included:
Rolled oats soaked overnight in orange juice (rather than milk or water)
A generous spoon of Greek yogurt
A touch of honey and a dash of lemon juice
Grated apples, blueberries, and toasted walnuts
This mixture, now common in health-conscious diets, was a rarity at the time. Most people in Britain would never have imagined eating cold, soaked oats for breakfast. In fact, Diana’s choice was considered unusual and, as McGrady put it, “not trendy at all back then.”
A Diet with Discipline
Princess Diana was known for being mindful about her health. After separating from Prince Charles, she became even more focused on physical fitness and clean eating. McGrady once said that she worked out three days a week and avoided fatty or overly processed foods. She often told him, “You take care of the fats, and I’ll take care of the carbs at the gym.”
Her preference for Bircher muesli fit seamlessly into that philosophy: light, nutritious, and filling—without the heaviness of traditional breakfasts.