The Queen's Jubilee Dish Some People Think Should Be Thrown Back Into The Ocean
Ah, Great Britain. It runs a fine line between gentile and gauche, doesn't it? England may be the land of good manners, Harry Potter, and Mick Jagger's swagger, but there is no denying that the greater United Kingdom has put out equal measures of tasteful and tacky over the years, with goofy guffaws like Boaty McBoatface sharing headline space with the most buttoned-up of the buttoned-up set: the royal family. In fact, another faux pas involving the royals has come to light, but this time it's not Prince Harry's antics or the latest episode of "The Crown" that's got people talking. It's a patriotic dish out of Wales to honor the queen's upcoming Platinum Jubilee that has Brits squirming in their seats (via LadBible).
But let's back up. For the uninitiated, the U.K. is governed in part by a monarchy, the head of which is Elizabeth II, the current Queen of England (via VisitLondon). At the admirable age of 95, the queen is celebrating her 70th year on the throne this year, a milestone never before reached by a British monarch — and one known as the Platinum Jubilee. To commemorate the event, countries across the U.K. and Commonwealth will enjoy a four-day holiday weekend filled with traditional jubilee festivities, such as parades, RAF flypasts, and other royalty-themed activities. In fact, the queen's Platinum Jubilee has a recipe contest, too!
For supporters of the monarchy, it's a time to fly the flag — in this case, the red, white, and blue Union Jack — in a show of patriotism and respect for the queen and country. But just which Welsh dish is making headlines?
A Welsh dish has caused a royal mess
The British are often revered for their stiff upper lips, their ability to keep calm and carry on, and their inherent sense of what is classy (and what is decidedly not). By comparison, the United States often seems like Great Britain's rowdy little sister, lighting things on fire and constantly getting into trouble. But happily, every dog has its day, and as LadBible reports, today might be the day that the U.K. has to shuffle off stage right, a little embarrassed by its performance. That's because the fish and chips dish that a Welsh restaurant chain has made over in honor of the Platinum Jubilee is giving people the heebie-jeebies.
"Jubilee Fish & Chips Anyone?" @crispandfry's TikTok caption reads as patriotic British music plays over a video of its fish dish getting the royal treatment. After dying one batch of batter blue and one red, a basket of fries and a slab of fish is dropped into each, before frying them into crispy perfection. With a bright blue fish atop a spread of cherry-red fries, the chipper then squeezes mayonnaise across the top in a sort of asterisk-shape, for a finished product that looks (kind of) like a Union Jack flag.
"Absolutely not," wrote one follower in the comments. Tear-faced emojis and laments filled the comment section, with one user asking simply, "As a country, can we please not do this anymore?" All the parades in the world aren't going to save this dish. At least we know what the queen likes to eat on her birthday each year; perhaps that can save this special occasion.