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.
Princess Anne's visit to Colmans in 12 photos as HRH enjoys famous
