King Charles and Queen Camilla celebrated a night of Italian cuisine complete with A-list celebrities including David and Victoria Beckham.
The pair invited the Italian-American Devil Wears Prada actor and well-known foodie Stanley Tucci, as well as the Italian ambassador to the UK, Inigo Lambertini, to the King’s estate in Gloucestershire. Also invited to the dazzling dinner were the fashion designer Donatella Versace, actress Dame Helen Mirren and British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful.
David Beckham is close to the Royal Family and became an ambassador of the King’s Foundation last year, and has even had private meetings there with His Majesty, bonding over a shared love of the countryside and, beekeeping.
Friday’s lavish reception menu featured canapés including rare and pasture salumi, Tuscan-style paté and coppa, Yorkshire pecorino cheese puffs and British vegetables caponata, washed down with the King’s own Highgrove sparkling wine.
All guests enjoyed a feast of sustainable slow food created by renowned Italian chef Francesco Mazzei and inspired by Tucci. Mr Mazzei told how he had travelled across the UK to source ingredients for the meal.
Mr Mazzei joked: “This is my first time cooking for the King. I’m quite excited about that.
“It is an Italian menu with British produce, well 99%, as the extra virgin olive oil is Italian.”
James Bond-inspired martinis were prepared by Italian mixologist Alessandro Palazzi, using Italian flavours and herbs from the Highgrove Gardens.
Mr Palazzi said his recipe for the event was a half-measure of Sacred English vermouth from Highgate, one part Polish vodka, and three parts Gordon’s gin.
The dinner celebrated the best of sustainable ‘Slow Food and Slow Fashion’, boating a glorious home-grown menu showcasing the best of British produce with a touch of Italian flair.
The menu included a starter of Scottish Crab Panzanella, paired with Gavi dei Gavi La Scolca Black label 2023.
The “primi” course – traditionally pasta – was Westcombe Highland ricotta and Highgrove fine herbs ravioli with Isle of Wight tomato passata with a glass of Gavi di Gavi La Scolca Black label 2023.
The “secondi” course – traditionally meat – featured Suffolk red porchetta, pumpkin and sage mash and Tuscan kale with a Barbaresco Gaja 2021.
For dessert, was zuppa inglese and biscotti with Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Zenato.
King Charles and Queen Camilla joined guests at the reception where students and graduates from The King’s Foundation training programmes will provide demonstrations on their work in sustainable fashion and traditional heritage skills, such as, millinery, embroidery, furniture making and fashion design.
The King was sat at dinner next to the Italian ambassador and Felicity Blunt, the wife of Stanley Tucci and sister of actress Emily Blunt, while Queen Camilla was next to Mr Tucci.
The stunning tables for around 80 guests were laden with fresh seasonal flowers and napkins rings made by student milliners on King’s Foundation courses.
During Their Majesties’ State Visit to the Republic of Italy in April, they undertake engagements in Rome and Ravenna, celebrating the strong bilateral relationship between Italy and the United Kingdom. They will meet Pope Francis at the Vatican and celebrate the Catholic Church’s Pilgrims of Hope jubilee year.