Why Prince Charles' personal chef accompanied him to an NHS hospital

    Yahoo Style UK team

    A former royal chef has explained why she accompanied Prince Charles to an NHS hospital, to cook for him during a three-night stay in June 1990.

    Carolyn Robb, who cooked for the prince both during and after his marriage to Princess Diana, recalled the incident - which received a large amount of backlash at the time - to Yahoo UK as part of ‘The Royal Story’ series.

    Charles, then aged 41, broke his right arm in two places after falling from his horse during a polo match.

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    The injury resulted in a three-night stay at Cirencester Memorial Hospital in Gloucestershire.

    According to reports, Charles insisted on being treated on the NHS rather than as a private patient.

    But, he was granted some amenities including a private ward and use of his personal chef.

    Prince Charles leaves Cirencester Hospital along with then-wife Princess Diana [Photo: Getty]
    Prince Charles photographed leaving Cirencester Hospital following a polo accident [Photo: Getty]

    Robb accompanied the prince to the hospital to cook for him throughout his stay - something that she says was designed to help ease the pressure on the NHS staff.

    “I remember one occasion when Prince Charles was in hospital. He had broken his arm playing polo and I went up to the hospital to cook for him,” Robb tells royal reporter Omid Scobie during ‘The Royal Story’ interview.

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    “The reason for that was so there was no extra stress put on the National Health Service.

    “It was reported that this was a real extravagance, that His Royal Highness should be taking his chef with him.

    “But, actually it was quite the opposite.”

    Carolyn Robb, who cooked for Prince Charles and Princess Diana during their marriage - and for Prince Charles after their separation - talks to Yahoo UK about life at Kensington Palace [Photo: The Royal Story]

    Robb says the incident made her realise “how difficult” life in the public eye must be for Charles and Diana.

    “At that point, I just realised how difficult it must have been for them to have the press on their backs all the time - and not necessarily looking for the positive in what they were doing,” she says.