It's been almost three months since King Charles ascended to the throne, and the 74-year-old has been busy executing his royal duties, as well as getting enraged by pens.
Charles' latest decree as Britain's new monarch? Outlawing one of his daughter-in-law's preferred dishes from all royal residences.
According to a report by The Telegraph, the monarch has recently banned foie gras from the family's residences across the United Kingdom, meaning the dish will no longer be served at Balmoral Castle, Sandringham, Windsor Castle, Hillsborough Castle and Buckingham Palace.
For the uninitiated, foie gras - or 'fatty liver' - is a popular delicacy in French cuisine, made of the liver of a duck or goose. However, foie gras is controversial as in order to make the specialty dish, the birds are fattened by gavage - a cruel practice where animals are force-fed through a tube leading down the throat to the stomach. As a result, the birds' livers swell and become engorged.
According to the report, the Palace confirmed the news in a letter to the animal rights group PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals), saying that foie gras is neither purchased nor served by the royal household with "no plans for this policy to change." The letter was also signed by the Master of the King's Household, Tony Johnstone-Burt.
However, it's been reported in the past that foie gras is a dish favoured by Charles' daughter-in-law Kate Middleton, now Catherine, Princess of Wales - which could ruffle some feathers. The 40-year-old, the wife of Prince William, reportedly selected the dish for lunch at Koffmann's restaurant in Knightsbridge shortly before her wedding.
Charles has long been opposed to the production of foie gras - which some activists describe as "torture in a tin" - with the then-Prince of Wales reportedly banning all chefs in his personal residence from serving the dish in 2008. He even considered removing the Royal Warrant from a Highgrove cheese shop because they sold it, as per reports.
PETA vice president Elisa Allen has since issued a statement encouraging others to "follow the King's lead and leave foie gras off the menu this Christmas and beyond", adding that "video footage of birds being painfully force-fed is enough to make anyone lose their lunch".
As a token of their appreciation, PETA has apparently since King Charles a hamper of 'faux gras', a vegan and cruelty-free alternative.
