The late Queen Elizabeth II's dinners at Buckingham Palace were unbelievably fancy — think of guests decked out in full-length ball gowns, tailcoats, and ceremonial sashes at the table. However, the queen's meal times at Balmoral Castle, one of her favorite places in the world and her residence at the time of her passing, were much more informal.

During her vacation days at Balmoral, Queen Elizabeth preferred to eat her dinners on a tray in front of the television, American TV-dinner style, a remarkable contrast to most people's idea of Her Majesty. Hello Magazine reports that Elizabeth was a fan of classic British series, including "Doctor Who" and "Midsomer Murders."

Elizabeth also enjoyed "The Bill," a long-running police procedural, and "Last of the Summer Wine," a sitcom about a trio of elderly men attempting to relive their youth. To say these dinners were different from those of Elizabeth's past, in which menus were written in French and food prep began days in advance, would be an understatement.

Generally speaking, the pressure to act prim and proper was fully off the Queen's shoulders during her happy and relaxing days at Balmoral Castle. In addition to her private TV dinners, Elizabeth reportedly loved to zip around the 50,000-acre estate in her Range Rover, and even did the dishes herself after her meals.