King Charles' state visit kicks off with very British menu as people point out awkward flaw
Ella Scott
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
King Charles III and Queen Camilla have touched down in the United States despite initial security concerns, with the royal pair tucking into a British-inspired spread that has fans talking.
Following the attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday (25 April), it was brought into question whether the monarch would be safe in the United States.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the pre-planned state visit would go ahead, and that the royal pair were ‘most grateful’ to Secret Service members who ‘worked at pace’ to protect US President Donald Trump.
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said he was ‘very confident’ that the King and Queen would be safe during their upcoming four-day visit.
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On Monday (27 April), Charles, 77, and Camilla, 78, headed to the British Embassy in Washington to take part in an afternoon tea with 650 other guests.
Behind-the-scenes footage was shared to X, formerly Twitter, which saw head chef Craig Harnden and his team assembling sandwiches, scones and desserts for the dinner.
According to the expert, his kitchen squad were tasked with making between 2,500 and 3,000 individual sandwiches.
The first was a brown bread sandwich stuffed with Scottish smoked salmon, black pepper, and lemon butter.
Next up on the list was British roast beef and horseradish, which is not a traditional afternoon tea item.
“We do have the first imports of British beef, which I'm more than happy to use for this special occasion. Bend the rules a little bit,” he reasoned.
The third sandwich flavour was classic egg mayonnaise, made with ‘nicely boiled eggs’, a little mayonnaise, and seasoned with salt and black pepper.
Finally, the King, Queen, and the rest of the British Embassy guests would be served pickled cucumber sandwiches.
According to the culinary expert, pickling the cucumbers would make the plain sandwich slightly more ‘interesting’.
Behind the scenes in the Embassy kitchen. 👑🫖
— British Embassy Washington (@UKinUSA) April 27, 2026
Chef is preparing afternoon tea for 650 guests, including Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Four kinds of tea sandwiches, scones, desserts, and several British flavours from smoked Scottish salmon to British Beef!… pic.twitter.com/sSrtsNZ9cj
Some social media users had a bone to pick with Harnden and the way his team were assembling the lunchtime staple in a now-viral X video.
One X user commented: “I hope they're cutting the crusts off.”
“That is some sloppy sandwich making to serve at a formal tea,” said a second.
Another echoed: “Hate to say it but he looks sloppy and so do those sandwiches. I know the crusts are coming off of those for sure!”
A fourth replied: “Butter looks very pale and doesn't go to the edges of the bread (even if crusts off), no pepper or dill on the salmon.
“Hope the roast beef is rare, well-peppered and the horseradish is piquant.”
The chef explained that the scones Charles and Camilla would be able to tuck into had been baked in the oven for an hour and a half before service.
They were served with clotted cream, strawberry jam, and garnished with a fresh strawberry.
King Charles and Camilla will remain in the United States until Thursday (30 April).
A state banquet at the White House is scheduled for tonight, with Helen Chard, a British broadcaster and photographer, revealing what she believed would be on the menu.
“I would expect herb-crusted organic Virginia lamb with copious amounts of humble vegetables,” she told Fox News Digital.
“Minted organic peas sit at the top of the vegetable hierarchy. Both Charles and Camilla adore artisan cheese and are partial to a slice of organic apple tart.”
Meanwhile, Darren McGrady, who was a personal chef to the late Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, told the outlet that Charles’ team would have spoken to White House chefs about the royal’s food preferences.
“The palace would have been in touch, saying, ‘King Charles is not a great lover of chocolate, but the queen loves chocolate.’ Anything with chocolate on the menu, Camilla will love,” he claimed.
“If there’s a cheese course, the king will adore that, as he loves cheese. He also loves honey, grilled vegetables, risottos and especially lamb.”
He added that the King would also be ‘thrilled’ if asparagus, artichokes, spinach and broccoli were on the menu.