The King and Queen welcomed a star-studded guest list for a black-tie dinner at Highgrove House, celebrating Italian cuisine and the “slow food” movement. Among the notable attendees were David and Victoria Beckham, Dame Helen Mirren, and Stanley Tucci.
This culinary event was themed around the slow food initiative, founded in 1986 by food writer Carlo Petrini in the Italian town of Bra. The movement began as a response to the opening of a McDonald’s in Rome’s Piazza di Spagna, prompting national protests.
During the dinner, King Charles expressed his passion for slow food and Italian culture, stating, “Good food brings people together, and what we choose to eat helps to define us— as families, communities, and nations. It sustains us and offers comfort while binding generations through the sharing of recipes. It is a thing of beauty— ‘edible art.'”
The Queen engaged in conversation about life in the Cotswolds with the Beckhams, with David describing the area as “so beautiful.” Camilla shared her own joy of raising chickens, exclaiming, “I’ve got chickens too!”
Entertainment for the evening included the King preparing a martini with Italian mixologist Alessandro Palazzi, sharing a laugh as a lemon almost went up his nose during his attempt to sip the drink.
The evening’s menu was crafted by renowned Italian chef Francesco Mazzei, inspired by Stanley Tucci, who gained fame through his TV series “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy.”
The dinner coincided with news from Buckingham Palace about the King’s upcoming visit to Italy and the Holy See in April, marking their 20th wedding anniversary. During this trip, the royals will join Pope Francis to celebrate the 2025 Jubilee Year, with plans to visit both Rome and the northeastern city of Ravenna.
Credit: Sky News
