The Queen's Former Personal Chef, Darren McGrady, Ran into Prince Harry's Ex on a Plane This Week
Darren McGrady, Queen Elizabeth's former personal chef, tweeted about bumping into Chelsy Davy on a plane this week. He included a photo of Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend to document the encounter.

You know that whole, "Wow, it's such a small world" feeling you get when you're just out and about, living your life and you run into someone very random from your past? Well, get ready for a very random royal-adjacent version of that feeling.
But first, a little about the players in our tale. First off, there's Darren McGrady, Queen Elizabeth II's former personal chef. As the Queen's personal chef, McGrady also regularly fed other ranking members of the royal family, including the late Princess Diana and her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry—although he did reveal in an interview with MarieClaire.com that the young princes preferred McDonald's to his gourmet cooking.
"I remember the Princess [Diana] came into the kitchen one day and said, 'Cancel lunch for the boys I'm taking them out, we're going to McDonald's. And I said, 'Oh my god your royal highness, I can do that, I can do burgers,'" he recalled. "And she said, 'No, it's the toy they want.' Yeah, the boys loved McDonald's, and going out to pizza, and having potato skins—sort of the American foods. They were royal princes but had children's palates."
McGrady's connection to Prince Harry is particularly important when we get to the other character in the story: Chelsy Davy, Harry's long-time, on- and off-again girlfriend.
Apparently, during a flight earlier this week, McGrady was casually discussing his royal former employer when he realized that Davy was actually sitting directly behind him. He recounted the story in a tweet:
"When the lady sitting next to you on the plane asks who you used to cook for... and then you realize @ChelsyDavy is sat behind you."
He shared a photo of Davy as proof of the coincidence:
McGrady's account of the story ends there, but we can only imagine Davy overhearing the conversation and jumping in with a friendly, "Hey, I think you used to cook for my boyfriend's grandma."
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
When the lady sitting next to you on the plane asks who you used to cook for... and then you realize @ChelsyDavy is sat behind you 😳 pic.twitter.com/3qtv4goD4rJanuary 22, 2019
Of course, it's also possible that Davy's response was to hide her face and pretend to be asleep for the entire flight just to avoid any attention that two royally-connected people would bring. She did, after all, famously call off her relationship with Prince Harry because she didn't like the attention that came with being around royalty.
RELATED STORIES
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
The 'You' Season 5 Cast Features People From Joe's Past, a New Love Interest, Madcap Twins, and More
Here's what to know about the star-studded final installment of the Netflix hit.
By Quinci LeGardye
-
These J.Crew Sale Finds Basically Packed My Suitcase for Me
I'm ready for my next vacation.
By Brooke Knappenberger
-
Summer's Sportiest Shoe Trend Is Worth Shopping More Than Once
17 pairs from Nordstrom, Mango, and Zara I'm shopping now.
By Julia Marzovilla
-
Staff Had "Never Seen Queen Elizabeth as Angry" as When Royal Visitor "From Hell" Brought a Dangerous Surprise Guest
The unwanted visitor caused an international incident.
By Kristin Contino
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Make Poignant NYC Appearance to Highlight "Heartbreak" No Parent Should Face
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex unveiled a powerful memorial to children lost too soon.
By Kristin Contino
-
Prince Harry Gave Nephew Prince Louis an Extremely Rare Five-Figure Gift for His Christening
Uncle Harry for the gifting win.
By Kristin Contino
-
Queen Elizabeth Gave the Perfect Response When Pope Francis Presented Her With Priceless Gifts for Prince George
The late pope spared no expense when it came to treating the infant prince in 2014.
By Kristin Contino
-
Queen Elizabeth's Two-Ingredient Lunch Supposedly Helped Her Stay Healthy and Look Younger
The late monarch was "not a foodie," but kept her meals simple and fresh.
By Kristin Contino
-
The Witty Way Queen Elizabeth Responded When a Royal Family Member Said Corgis "Should Be Shot"
Criticizing the monarch's beloved pups was a big mistake.
By Amy Mackelden
-
The "Nerve-Racking" Meeting King Charles's Cousin Had With Princess Diana
"I could have been a complete idiot."
By Amy Mackelden
-
A Resurfaced 1992 Photo Reveals Princess Charlotte Has a Royal Lookalike in Princess Diana's Niece
"The Spencer genes are so strong."
By Amy Mackelden