The Daily Drink Routine Prince William Had To Change

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Routine and tradition are concepts that the British Royals live by, and they can also be used to describe what Prince William typically eats in a day. He enjoys home-cooked dinners made by Princess Catherine (especially roast chicken) and is also fond of beef — former royal chef Darren McGrady told the press that cottage pie is one of the prince's long-standing favorites. When he's craving a little takeaway, Prince William loves Nando's, a popular fast food chain in the U.K., for its Portuguese-African style peri-peri chicken. As for beverages, the prince's tea and coffee habit is also well-known, although he recently had to make some changes to his caffeine regimen.

After being named Duke of Cornwall in 2022, he spoke to nutritionist Monique Hyland on his first visit to Cornwall. They had a discussion about his diet, and Hyland told Cornwall Live that Prince William admitted he drinks multiple cups of tea each day for an energy boost, since "the kids keep me up at night." Having two or three cups of coffee per day wasn't out of the ordinary, either. As of 2026, the 43-year-old's caffeine-heavy routine had changed.

As part of a panel talk on "Life Hacks," a podcast on BBC Radio 1, Prince William revealed that he's been cutting back. "If I drink coffee, I get completely bananas," he explained. "There's too much caffeine, caffeine gets me really agitated, actually. If I overdo the caffeine, I definitely feel it during the day."

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Many of us have at least one cup of joe a day and can relate to Prince William's struggle. As for what can happen when you drink too much coffee, potential organ damage and other physical ailments may arise if you habitually consume more than the FDA-suggested 400-milligram dose per day (that's a little more than four 8-ounce cups of coffee).

Depending on how caffeine affects you, it can cause restlessness and difficulty sleeping. It can also impact your mood, making you anxious or irritable. Physically, you may feel your heart is racing after a few back-to-back mugs. Jitteriness, muscle tremors, and stomach issues are other possible side effects. Folks with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and other forms of acid reflux or heartburn may be negatively impacted by drinking coffee, let alone in excess.

In short, too much caffeine can be bad for you. If you want to cut back as Prince William did, there are ways to go about it that minimize withdrawal symptoms. Experts advise cutting down slowly instead of quitting cold turkey. Gradually substitute some of your standard joe for decaf, or start by drinking one less cup for a number of days, then cut out another serving. Exercise and sticking to your sleep routine can help you stay energized in the meantime, as can beverages lower in caffeine than coffee, like black or green tea.