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Charles: Ban the Big Mac
Last updated at 13:54pm on 27.02.07
Prince Charles today said banning McDonald's fast food was the key to a healthy lifestyle.
His comments came as he attended the launch of a public health awareness campaign.
Charles, a strong advocate of organic food, was touring the Imperial College London
Diabetes Centre in Abu Dhabi with the Duchess of Cornwall.
He asked nutritionist Nadine Tayara: "Have you got anywhere with McDonald's, have you tried getting it banned? That's the key."
Royal observers said that Charles would have been aware that his comments would be picked by the media.
"He knew there was a reporter there and this is a subject close to his heart," said one source.
A Clarence House spokesman travelling with the Prince today issued a statement saying: "The Prince of Wales has for a long time advocated the importance of a balanced diet, especially for children.
"In visiting the Diabetes Centre today, he was keen to emphasise the need for children to enjoy the widest variety of food and not to eat any particular sort of food to excess." This is not the first time that the Prince has stepped into the debate about food. He has previously attacked the amount of genetically modified food being produced.
Today, the royal couple watched as a group of young children chose from a selection of "good" and "bad" snacks for their school packed lunches.
Charles was told about new initiatives to improve diet and fitness levels. McDonald's today described Charles's remark as "disappointing".
Other members of his family had visited the chain and "have probably got a more upto-date picture of us," a spokeswoman said, adding: "This appears to be an off-the-cuff remark, in our opinion. It does not reflect our menu or where we are as a business."
Princess Diana often took sons William and Harry to the McDonald's restaurant opposite Windsor Castle.
Charles's comments will fuel the debate about obesity in Britain. He has already called for a total ban on GM food, which he considers a health risk - a stance that has left him at odds with the Government.
Reader views (21)
We all the the final say on what we eat. We can choose a healthy lifestyle, or the government will once again start making choices for you.
What you eat, where you go, what you say....what you think.
Long live Big Brother!
- James, Brighton Michigan USA
Why not just close the local Pub while you are at it too.
Give me a break.
- Gerry Christman, Silver Spring MD
Why not ban McDonald's, Jay asks...? Well, how about because we supposedly live in a free country and no one is forcing anyone to eat there? Who do you think YOU are? Your views are very frightening.
- Josh, Dallas, TX, USA
Ban McDonalds? Oh, get over it, people! You choose what you pick up and put into your mouth. Start blaming yourself for your own behavior, for once.
- George, USA
And you should wash your hands after going to the washroom. And You should wear a hat in cold weather. And you should keep your home clean. And you should keep your trash outside. And wash yourself regularly. Excercise regularly. Drink responsibly. Refrain from smoking. Relax, take a vacation or find a hobby to reduce stress. Do you need any other obvious statements on a healthy lifestyle? Why does it take a Prince to make us realise the most obvious of things?
- George, Ottawa, Canada
Yes, Ban McDonalds and put traditional British food back on the top of the nutritional pyramid where it belongs.
Fish 'n chips anyone? Guinness?
- Jeff, New York, NY
That is why we in the United States frown upon monarchy. It's nice to see the clown prince has no power to force people what to eat.
- Justin Olson, Minneapolis, Mn
Good for Charles... Fat people put an economic drain on all of use in the long term, so why shouldn't we ban McDonalds? It's not worthwhile to sacrifice one's health to line their pockets (and your arteries).
- Jay Smith, Rochester, NY USA
I'm sure that HRH would advocate eating healthy, fresh, non-processed foods at home for the less privilaged and people that do not have access to organic food. That's what this whole thing is about: people losing touch with where their food comes from, how it's grown, and how it's processed. McDonald's is not food. Filling, yes; food, no. I admire his tenacity and commitment to the organic lifestyle, and to social and environmental justice for farmers. People lose their identities when the world (ESPECIALLY the food world) is homogenized by giant US corporations and the first to feel the effects are the poor and those who make a living from the soil. Right on, Charles!
- A, Indiana, USA
Funny - HRH opens his mouth and is condemned. Al Gore does it and it lauded as a hero. Either they are both entitled, or neither is.
- Jeffrey Martin, Tucson, AZ, USA
How about banning/abolishing the Monarchy while your at it?
Would save millions of pounds per year! Save waistlines and fatten the wallets instead.
- Kp, UK
We Americans have Al Gore, you have Prince Charles... wanna trade for a while? It should be good for some new comedy material.
- Ljs, USA
This overbearing, pompous, free-loading waste of space should shut his big mouth and stay out of things he knows nothing about. Don't go hunting oh wise.. don't do as I do, do as I say.. one and make your family stop it too. Try doing somethig useful with your life that benefits someone other than your smug self.
- Marina, Essex UK
When are you going to ban Fish and Chips Charles?
- Philip Verdieck, Houston, TX
Yet again HRH demonstrates how out of touch he is and in so doing demeans the his position. He should be well placed to influence matters for good but has clearly inherited 'foot-in-mouth' disease from his father. Not everyone can afford, or has regular access to, 'organic' food or wants to stump up top whack for HRH's premium-priced 'Duchy Originals' food products. Fast-food outlets play a part in many people's lives - real lives, not sheltered by palaces and chauffeurs. And there's a real debate as to how beneficial so-called 'organic' foods are in comparison to orinary food - which is what most of us have to eat every day. Some advice for the Prince - when you feel the urge to open your mouth and say something, don't - resist at all costs. As the saying goes: 'Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.'
- Colin, London
So Charles now considers himself so all-powerful that he can dictate which companies are permitted to do business in 'his' country? Since when did he become a nutritional expert? I'm no fan of McDonald's but this man's arrogance knows no bounds. God help us when he finally becomes King - everyday there will be another pompous, ill-informed pronouncement about the misguided lifestyle choices of the masses. You've probably guessed my Republican leanings. But if we have to have the royals, then they should at least keep a dignified distance, as the current Queen does. She has the good sense not to go shooting her mouth off where it's not wanted.
- Lindsay, London
Perhaps he would like to ban being poor and/or out of work aswell? Could easily solve a large percentage of poverty at a stroke!
- Steve Perrin, Cambs UK
Prince Charles stimulates debate and that is to welcomed.
As for banning McDonalds, would this be any more successful than banning hunting?
Would McDonalds go 'underground' as US drink providers did during prohibition, and serve their wares in 'eat-easys'?
There will always be a demand for fast food and the solution is to produce it as healthfully as possible.
- John Jones, Hampton
I wonder if he's ever had one.
- Stan, Expat, USA
I'm quite prepared to take ecological advice from the man who hired an entire wide body jet liner to take him and 20 people three thousand miles to pick up a 'green' award.
A man who had his chauffeur drive his 12mpg Aston eight hundred miles across Europe so that he could use it whilst on holiday.
A man who has his flunkey boil a dozen eggs for various times in the morning so that his eggy soldiers are dipped in the egg just so.
We should all listen to this man as he has much to teach us - oh wise one. Why doesn't everyone just have their servants cook them a healthy big mac in their own palaces instead?
Yay for Chas!
- Ethan, UK
Banning McDonalds is not the answer, we need to be supplying children with healthy foods in school and educating them on a healthy lifestyle.
- Brandon Thomas, London UK
