Queen banned three foods at royal feasts - including 'poisoning risk'
ok.co.ukTom Parker Bowles gave a glimpse into the foodie favourites of the royals in a recent Daily Mail article. He shared some of the traditions and rules surrounding the Royal Family's state banquets, which he described as "glittering and gilded" events.
State banquets, held up to three times a year at either Windsor's St George's Hall or Buckingham Palace's grand ballroom, are more than just meals, according to Tom, the son of Queen Camilla.
He said: "This is not mere eating, rather a brilliantly choreographed ballet, 'souffle' diplomacy at its finest, as kings and queens, princes, potentates and presidents sit down to revel in the eternal power of the shared table.
Dinners may not only stretch to three courses, but they are still powerful diplomatic tools: edible statecraft, pure dinnertime diplomacy." The menus, still written in French, need the King and Queen's approval.Tom then opened up over the late Queen Elizabeth II, who sadly died in 2022, revealing: "The late Queen, like the King, was a stickler for detail." While researching for his latest book, Tom had a chat with Royal Chef Mark Flanagan and found out that the Queen personally influences royal menus, saying: "Her Majesty always designed the menus for her guests, rather than herself.
Read more on ok.co.uk