Despite the fact that the Prince of Wales was on the show to taste and weigh in on the food prepared by competing cooks, many observers noticed that the camera didn’t catch him eating any of those delicious-looking canapés.
READ MORE: Prince Charles and Camilla Visit Salisbury After Alleged Nerve Agent Attack
Some speculated that he may have tasted some of the dishes, but it could be rules and regulations pertaining to the royal family that do not allow them to eat on camera – this hasn’t been confirmed so far.
"This is something I'll remember forever!" Our contestants had the once in a lifetime opportunity to not only cater for His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales but also to meet him. @ClarenceHouse #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/nazeRY1NuC
— #MasterChefAU (@masterchefau) 4 июля 2018 г.
In the course of the much-promoted episode, his Royal Highness was served goat cheese mousse with bush spices and wallaby tartare topped with…green ants – something that made him exclaim with shock.
Moment of truth, the ANTicipation is killing us! #MasterChefAU 🙈 pic.twitter.com/rmVtnRqKmF
— #MasterChefAU (@masterchefau) 4 июля 2018 г.
That moment when you find out you just ate ANTS! 🐜😳 #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/SGyDUNvX5G
— #MasterChefAU (@masterchefau) 4 июля 2018 г.
It’s unclear whether the prince tasted the dish, which judge George Calombaris jokingly described as Australian “version of fish and chips.”
Talking canapés with HRH the Prince of Wales. @masterchefau pic.twitter.com/eCiqe8HRNA
— Matt Preston (@MattsCravat) 4 июля 2018 г.
Once netizens found out about the extraordinary ingredient, they couldn’t contain their emotions:
I'm sorry but I can't #GreenAnts 🐜🐜🐜😨 #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/CIoSpKw5MZ
— Mama (@Mama_Gee1) 4 июля 2018 г.
Green ants!?🐜 #MasterChefAU #HRHPrinceCharles 😣 pic.twitter.com/opk4uPhBHZ
— Mama (@Mama_Gee1) 4 июля 2018 г.
No this would be my reaction pic.twitter.com/YVSutlUW14
— Max Bowdoin #AcunaROTY (@Bravesfan3232) 4 июля 2018 г.
Some users apparently didn’t know about the reported rules forbidding the royals from being filmed while eating and lashed out at the prince:
Did anyone see Prince Charles actually eat anything? #MAsterChefAu
— Scott Ellis (@blahblahellis) 4 июля 2018 г.
Promotion all week ‘Cook for Prince Charles’ except he doesnt eat anything. EPIC FAIL #MasterChefAU
— Adam B (@addymelb) 4 июля 2018 г.
I'm enjoying the number of photos of Charles NOT eating the food #MasterChefAU
— The Washing Up (@thewashingup) 4 июля 2018 г.
I feel cheated that Prince Charles isn’t actually even shown eating anything #masterchefau
— Lynn Kyaw (@lynnskyaw) 4 июля 2018 г.
I turned down sex to watch prince Charles eat ants. Instead I got neither. #MasterChefAU
— ✨ Miss Natski ✨ (@Natski82) 4 июля 2018 г.
Others, however, suggested that there was a certain protocol:
Its protocol not to show Royals eating
— Swizzlestick (@Swizzlestick8) 4 июля 2018 г.
it's against protocol to film royals eating, so I'm sure he ate some they just couldn't show it on TV
— Linda L.W (@IamLindaL) 6 июля 2018 г.
'Fans were upset they didn't see Prince Charles eat ants' 😂😂
— lisa (@_hellolisa) 4 июля 2018 г.
As great as that would've been, it's actually because no footage is ever shown of a royal eating #MasterChefAU https://t.co/B52seLTHyN
Prince Charles may have ate some of it, but royal protocol probably states you can’t film them eating.. #masterchefau
— Ayla (@AylaWolfMother) 4 июля 2018 г.
In the meantime, Prince Charles was not the only guest on the show, his wife, Camilla, arrived with him, guiding the contestants through the royal’s likes and dislikes.
“I hate to say this, but garlic. Garlic is a no-no,” the Duchess of Cornwall said, adding that her husband loved “local cheeses” and eggs, “Anything with eggs with a bed of local vegetables of some kind, he’d love that.”
@ClarenceHouse on @masterchefau and I can hardly contain myself. Camilla just having a casual chat to Gary is the best thing ever #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/51mkrDLf8N
— Loren (@leapinloren) 4 июля 2018 г.
She also made a surprising revelation about the food she couldn’t live without in her fridge.
“I have to have, if I haven’t got fresh tomatoes, I’ll always have tomato puree. And I’m afraid to say, even ketchup. My grandchildren are rather addicted to ketchup,” she told judge Gary Mehigan.