What Happened To The McDonald's Location Owned By The Queen?

During her reign, Queen Elizabeth II was very particular about her food. In fact, there were some foods that Her Majesty never ate, so it may surprise many to learn that the queen owned a McDonald's, located in Oxfordshire's Banbury Gateway Shopping Park. We should note that Queen Elizabeth owned half of the entire United Kingdom shoreline, so technically the Royal Family owns the land, not the McDonald's itself . 

It's actually not the first McDonald's that the Queen owned. Previously, she also owned one in Bath Road Retail Park in Slough, but she opted to sell the land that the McDonald's was on in 2016. It's ironic that the Queen would fall into ownership of one of the restaurants, considering her disdain for the establishment. Speaking with British Heritage, the queen's former chef Darren O'Grady revealed she never cared for McDonald's, though she did like hamburgers. In contrast, Prince William and Harry, like many kids of the era, were fans of the establishment thanks to its Happy Meals toys. 

So what happened to the queen's McDonald's after her passing in 2022? Did she end up gifting it to Prince William and Harry who may have appreciated it better? No, the McDonald's — along with the rest of the land — was passed down to her son King Charles III, though some of that land has since been further passed down to his son Prince William. 

As Business Insider pointed out, the McDonald's in question is aware of its land ownership by the British Royal Family even if it doesn't overly advertise it. However, King Charles III inherited not one, not two, but seven McDonald's when he took the throne. The land he now owns also includes an Apple Store and a Victoria's Secret, according to Business Insider. 

Like his mother before him, the king doesn't have much fondness for McDonald's or fast food in general. So, it's unlikely you will see him with a Big Mac any time soon. In 2007, according to the Guardian, Charles suggested getting rid of the restaurant entirely for health reasons, saying, "Have you got anywhere with McDonald's, have you tried getting it banned? That's the key." 

However, King Charles doesn't actually manage the land under the Crown Estate. The Crown Estate is a collection of real estate and other holdings that generates money for the United Kingdom Treasury. The 2011 Sovereign Grant Act determines the amount of annual funds allotted to the monarch and royal family. So, it's possible that King Charles isn't even aware that he owns a McDonald's, much less seven. As for those establishments, they run independently as any McDonald's does.