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Privacy NoticeTom 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.”
Queen Elizabeth II with then US President Trump at a royal banquet
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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. 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”, reports the Mirror. However, there were three foods that never made it onto the royal banquet menus. He shared: “Spicy food is not an option, nor shellfish (for reasons of potential poisoning), or dishes laden with garlic. Seasonality is ever important and ingredients are gathered, where possible, from the royal estates. Times may have changed, and appetites diminished. But one thing is eternally true. No one ever leaves the royal table hungry.” Sign up to OK!’s royal newsletter to get updates sent to your inbox for free
The Queen had a personal influence over menus
(Image: (Image: Getty Images))
Tom , reflecting on the eating habits of our current royals, said: “Queen Camilla, my mother, eats a very light lunch a bowl of chicken soup, perhaps, or some smoked salmon and the King doesn’t eat lunch at all. Tea however is a serious, though very relaxed meal, wherever it may be. While dinners, away from the official pomp and circumstance, are very laid back indeed.” He also highlighted the importance of fresh seasonal ingredients in royal cooking, adding: “With the exception of state banquets and official dinners, the King and Queen eat simple, healthy and resolutely seasonal food, whether they’re at Buckingham Palace, Sandringham or Balmoral. Their chefs, under the expert control of Royal Chef Mark Flanagan, travel with them. The King and Queen really know their food. There is no man who knows more about food and farming, from the best of British cheeses, through rare breeds of sheep and cow, to heritage varieties of plum, apple and pear, than the King.”Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnCamillaQueen Elizabeth II
