According to a Royal insider, three specific foods were strictly prohibited when the late Queen hosted state banquets. Tom Parker Bowles, son of Queen Camilla, recently shared some insights into the dietary preferences of our past and present monarchs in a Daily Mail article. He painted a vivid picture of state banquets as "glittering and gilded" affairs, held up to thrice yearly either at St George's Hall at Windsor or the ballroom at Buckingham Palace, with its grand horseshoe table.
He described these events as more than just meals, but rather a "brilliantly choreographed ballet, 'souffle' diplomacy at its finest". He added: "Dinners may now only stretch to three courses, but they are still powerful diplomatic tools: edible statecraft, pure dinnertime diplomacy." The menus for these events, still written in French, are sent to the King and Queen for their approval.
Tom Parker Bowles added that the late Queen, like the King, was meticulous about details. While researching his new book, Tom Parker Bowles spoke with Royal Chef Mark Flanagan and learned that Her Majesty always designed the menus with her guests in mind, adding her own suggestions or recalling what certain guests enjoyed during their previous visits. "Her Majesty always designed the menus for her guests, rather than herself.
And added her own suggestions, or remembered that so-and-so really liked this or that the last time they came. Her memory was incredible. All the menus had her hand on them", he said.
Howev.