By CHRIS SANDS
The Royal Pastry Etiquette That's Questionable At Most
Known as @the_royal_butler on Instagram, Grant Harrold was the butler to King Charles III and Queen Camilla from 2005 to 2011 and has served Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
His expertise has earned him over half a million Instagram followers, but that very expertise was recently called into question after he posted a proclamation regarding pastry.
According to Harrold, breakfast diners should never take more than one pastry, and only after first offering them to others. Commenters asked if this is fair to ask of people.
One commenter wrote that the former royal butler was "doing it all wrong," adding that "in India, table etiquette does not define a specific limit on how many pieces you can eat."
In Harrold's defense, he was not discussing etiquette in India, which gained independence from British rule in 1947, but was focused on etiquette for the British royal family.
Others objected to Harrold's action in the video, which showed him picking up a pastry and returning it to the basket. One commenter wrote, "Would Her Late Majesty have approved?"
Morning pastry baskets are rare in the U.S., but if you do find yourself in a situation where a pastry basket is being passed around, it’s probably best to follow Harrold’s advice.
Whether the pastry is bite-sized or not, offering others first and taking only one would be polite. In other instances, like at a bakery or restaurant, order as many as you desire.