Ella Scott
King Charles III and Queen Camilla were treated to a mouthwatering, four-course state dinner at the White House, featuring seasonal vegetables, a classic French entreé, and a dessert that may not have been to the monarch’s liking.
Since touching down in the United States on Tuesday (27 April), the royal rulers have already taken afternoon tea twice - once with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, and again at a 650-guest party at the British Embassy.
At the latter, Charles, 77, and Camilla, 78, were served four different types of sandwiches and scones, all prepared by head chef Craig Harnden and his team.
The head honcho claimed he ‘bent the rules’ when it came to the finger food’s flavours, selecting British roast beef and horseradish despite it not being a ‘traditional’ afternoon tea flavour.
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The pair were then treated to a state dinner at the White House the following day, with the menu being revealed ahead of time by Melania’s office.
A notice confirmed that the 56-year-old led the preparations for the dinner, designed to honour the ‘special relationship’ between the US and the UK as ‘ the American people mark 250 years of independence.’
Charles and Camilla sat down at the state dinner with Trump, Melania, and other famous faces, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, Apple’s Tim Cook, and Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo.
The slew of celebrities and business moguls alike tucked into a first course featuring a delicate garden herb velouté - one of the five ‘mother sauces’ in French cuisine.
The latter was complemented by a refreshing hearts of palm salad, finished with toasted shallots and a sprig of micro mint.
Following the light appetiser, the King and Queen et al. were served a spring herb ravioli, featuring herbs from the White House Kitchen Garden.
The latter is situated on the South Lawn and was first planted by First Lady Michelle Obama in 2009.
The ravioli was stuffed with creamy ricotta and earthy morels. The latter a type of fungi, of which Charles and Camilla are allegedly fond of foraging, according to cookbook author Tom Parker Bowles.
A light Parmesan emulsion was used to dress the pasta, as per The Office of the First Lady.
The White House continued its exploration of French cuisine by presenting the royal couple with a classic Dover sole meunière bathed in a nutty brown butter.
It was served with crispy potatoes pavé, tender spring ramps, snow peas and a drizzle of parsley oil.
Fish being on the menu may have surprised some royal commentators who were convinced the President and the First Lady would opt for lamb.
Former royal personal chef Darren McGrady informed Fox News Digital last week that the father-of-two would have been ‘honoured’ if the mammal had been plated up.
Interestingly, the White House chefs - who have strict rules to follow - created a beehive-shaped chocolate gâteau with smooth vanilla bean crémeux custard for the fourth and final course of the state dinner.
It was set with a feather-light almond joconde and served with crème fraîche ice cream and honey from the White House beehives.
Previously, McGrady warned that the King was not a huge fan of chocolate-based delights.
“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.
Three wines were selected to complement the evening, including a 2024 Riesling from Hopkins’ Vineyard, situated in the Western Connecticut Highlands.
According to Firstleaf, the alcoholic beverage’s taste profile blends crisp and refreshing citrus notes with a subtle hint of sweetness.
A jammy 2024 Pinot Noir was selected from producers Penner-Ash Willamette Valley, which was followed by a Chardonnay from Newton Vineyard.
The latter is a barrel-fermented Chardonnay made with fruit sourced from vineyards in the Carneros region of the Napa Valley, as per Fareham Wine Cellar.
According to the First Lady’s notice, the bottles were specially selected to complement the menu while ‘honoring the shared heritage and enduring friendship between the United States and the United Kingdom’.
The notice added that the trio celebrate the ‘strength’ of American winemaking today.