Before their lives came to a sudden end, these nine famous people sat down for one last meal. Some enjoyed fancy dinners in elegant restaurants, while others had something simple and comforting. However, each meal has a story, offering a glimpse into their final hours. From Abraham Lincoln to Kurt Cobain, these are the last meals of nine famous historical figures.
1. Ernest Hemingway
The night Ernest Hemingway died, he had dined with his wife, Mary, at the Michel’s Christiania Restaurant in Ketchum, Idaho. Apparently, he was a regular at this restaurant and had a table of his own. Just days before July 1, 1961, Hemingway had left the psychiatric ward at Mayo Clinic. That night, he ordered a New York strip steak, baked potato, Caesar salad, and Bordeaux wine. According to the waitress who served him, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. In the early hours of July 2, he took his own life.
2. Captain Edward Smith
Captain Edward Smith was the captain of the RMS Titanic, which sank on April 14, 1912. That evening, Smith enjoyed an 11-course first-class dinner. A steward recalled that the captain was in high spirits as he enjoyed his meal. Some of the dishes that were served that night included hors d’oeuvres, soup, filet mignon, chicken Lyonnaise, Waldorf pudding, chocolate eclairs, and French vanilla ice cream. Smith left the dinner around 9 pm and went to bed. When the ship hit the infamous iceberg, he was jolted awake. He sadly drowned that night.
3. Abraham Lincoln
On April 14, 1865, around 7 pm, President Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, sat down in the White House to feast on mock turtle soup, roasted fowl, stuffing, baked yams, and cauliflower with cheese sauce. Apparently, Lincoln was so enthralled by a book he was reading that it took his wife some convincing to get him to sit down and eat. An hour and a half later, they arrived at Ford’s Theatre to watch Our American Cousin. Lincoln was shot during the play. He passed away the following morning.
4. Frank Sinatra
On May 14, 1998, famous singer and actor Frank Sinatra woke up in the late morning or early afternoon in his home in Palm Springs. His wife, Barbara Blakely Marx, had him eat a grilled cheese sandwich outside by the pool. He ate grilled cheese sandwiches almost every day. That day, he didn’t finish his meal. A few hours later, he suffered a heart attack.
5. John Lennon
On his way to a recording session, John Lennon went to Stage Deli in New York. The manager, Gill Kashkin, said that he had ordered a corned beef sandwich and a hot tea. That day, on December 8, 1980, Lennon worked on a song called “Walking on Thin Ice” before going home. Apparently, he wanted to see his son, Sean, before he went to sleep. He was shot and killed by Mark Chapman outside of his apartment building.
6. Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley was known for his gluttonous eating habits. On August 15, 1977, he ate one of his favorite meals, spaghetti and meatballs. He pulled an all-nighter that night, which wasn’t unusual for him. At about 4 am on August 16, he ate about four scoops of ice cream and six cookies. He decided to go to the bathroom before he headed to bed. A few hours later, he was found dead in the bathroom after suffering a heart attack.
7. Princess Diana
On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana and her partner Dodi Fayed had their last meal together at the L’Espadon restaurant in Paris. They were forced to eat in their hotel room after being swarmed by paparazzi. Diana had an asparagus and mushroom omelet as an appetizer and Dover sole with vegetable tempura as her main dish. Later, the pair were in a fatal car accident.
8. Adolf Hitler
Many sources claim that Adolf Hitler’s last meal consisted of lightly sauced spaghetti and cabbage salad before he took his own life. When he decided to take his own life, he fed his dog, Blondi, a lethal dose of cyanide. His partner, Eva Braun, then took cyanide, and Hitler shot himself. Hours after his death, his personal chef prepared a dinner of mashed potatoes and fried eggs because she did not know that he had died.
9. Kurt Cobain
On the evening of April 3, 1994, Kurt Cobain and two associates went to the Cactus restaurant in Seattle. They reportedly sat outside, chatting while ordering desserts. Cobain had Bananas Dulce. On April 5, his body was found with a suicide note. Apparently, while he was writing his note, he drank his favorite root beer and smoked cigarettes before taking his own life.
Sources:
The Last Meals Of 15 Historical Figures
Last Meals Of 23 Famous People Gallery
These Were The Famous Last Meals Of People Throughout History
