Princess Anne Ate Fish And Chips At Colmans Restaurant

So, picture this: Princess Anne, the Queen’s only daughter, a woman who reportedly once told a kidnapper to “naff off,” walked into a humble seaside chippy in South Shields. Not a gilded palace, not a Michelin-starred restaurant. No, she walked into Colmans, a family-run fish and chip shop that’s been frying cod since before the Beatles were a thing. You might think royalty dines on swan and gold-leaf eclairs, but apparently, Anne’s idea of a royal banquet is a steaming parcel of battered cod and a pile of mushy peas. Let’s unpack this delightful slice of eccentricity.

The Royal Fish & Chip Pilgrimage

First, let’s set the scene. Colmans isn’t just any chippy; it’s a local legend that’s won more awards than most hotels have pillows. They’ve got a queue that snakes around the block, and their fish is so fresh it practically winks at you. Into this savory chaos strolls Her Royal Highness—no tiara, probably no armed guards with napkins tucked in their collars, just a very determined woman who wanted real, greasy, newspaper-wrapped goodness. The staff, to their credit, kept their cool. One server later joked that Anne ordered “two cod and a portion of chips,” which is basically the national anthem of working-class Britain.

Why Colmans, though? You might think she’d pop into a posh London restaurant with a sommelier for the chips. Well, here’s the surprising fact: Princess Anne is famously down-to-earth. She’s the only royal to have competed in the Olympics (equestrian, 1976), and she once responded to a would-be kidnapper by saying, “Not bloody likely.” So, of course, she’d skip the pomp and head straight for a chippy that has been serving proper food since 1926. It’s like finding out your local cat is actually a tiny lion—unexpected, but somehow perfectly British.

The Menu: A Royal Decree for Salt & Vinegar

What did the Princess eat? According to eyewitnesses (and by that, I mean locals who nearly choked on their pickled eggs), she ordered cod and chips, with a side of mushy peas. She even asked for salt and vinegar—a move so relatable it made every tabloid editor weep with joy. This wasn’t a staged photo op; this was a woman who genuinely believes that a soggy chip is a problem for peasants, not princesses. And here’s the kicker: she ate it with a fork, but the chips were so perfectly crisp that she probably could have used her hands and still looked regal.

Let’s talk price. A typical fish and chips at Colmans costs around £10-£12. For a princess who owns multiple estates, that’s like finding a $1 bill in your couch cushion. But Anne didn’t treat it like a novelty; she finished every last crumb. A restaurant worker later said she even helped clear her own table, which is a move that would make any mother weep with pride. Honestly, if I’d done that at a fancy event, my own mother would ask if I was feeling faint.

The Aftermath: A Legend Is Fried and Sealed

Naturally, the internet went bananas. Memes of Anne in a hairnet eating chips while wearing a leather gloves became a cottage industry. But the real gold was the unspoken message: royalty can love grease, too. She didn’t just visit a chippy; she championed it. Colmans promptly put up a plaque, and sales reportedly quadrupled. Now, fans travel from as far as Australia just to sit in “the exact spot where Anne sat.” The chair is probably stickier now, but no one cares—it’s a holy relic of fried bliss.

And here’s the hilarious twist: while other royals are photographed sipping champagne at Ascot, Anne is the unofficial ambassador of the great British chippy. She’s visited fishing ports, launched lifeboats, and even opened a supermarket. But this fish-and-chips pit stop might be her most relatable moment. It’s so refreshing, so human, that you forget she once wore a tiara to a state banquet. Suddenly, you realize: we’re all just a bite away from royalty.

Why This Matters (If It Matters at All)

Okay, in the grand scheme of global politics, a princess eating fried fish is not exactly peace in the Middle East. But it matters like a warm hug matters. In a world of faceless influencers and curated Instagram meals, Anne’s soggy chips remind us that status is silly. She could have eaten caviar in a castle, but she chose Colmans. She chose the place where the batter is golden, the banter is thick, and the vinegar stings your nostrils just right. That’s not just a dinner; that’s a declaration of solidarity with every British person who has ever cried into a chip butty.

So, next time you’re cramming a salty, greasy chip into your mouth, remember: you are dining with the monarchy. Or, at least, you could be. And if you ever pass through South Shields, stop by Colmans. Order the cod, add a splash of vinegar, and sit where a princess sat. Just don’t expect her to share—she’s royalty, after all, and those chips were hers.