Most people have never had the fortune to have dinner with the royals.
Though it’s likely not in the cards for many of us, if you were to have dinner with the royal family, there are many strict rules that you would have to follow.
Foie Gras Was Banned by King Charles
Years before he became king, Charles banned foie gras from the royal menu.
Charles has long been known for his passion for animals and the environment, and foie gras is among those concerns. Foie gras is fatty liver and is made by force-feeding ducks and geese, something Charles is against.
You Won’t Be Eating Shellfish
If shellfish is your favorite food, you can expect it to never appear on the menu at any event the royals happen to be at.
As shellfish can carry a great risk of food poisoning, they prefer not to eat it. Marie Claire states that as they have busy work schedules, getting food poisoning would mean having to cancel their schedules, which the royals would rather avoid.
Your Outfit Needs to Be Formal
Attending a royal dinner isn’t like any other dinner, so you must look your best.
The Independent states that the dress code for royal dinners is white tie, which is similar to black tie, except men are expected to wear a white bow tie and a wing collar, and women are expected to wear a long formal evening gown.
The Etiquette for Holding a Teacup
It has long been assumed that royals will hold their teacup by sticking their little finger out when doing so, but this isn’t actually true.
Not only must you not stick your little finger out, but the Express states that the way royals hold their teacup is by the thumb and index finger pinching and supporting the top of the handle, and the middle finger supports the bottom of the handle. The other two fingers should be tucked under the teacup.
Garlic Is a No-No
Many people love a bit of garlic in their food. But regardless of whether the royals like it or not, their food will not be seasoned with garlic of any kind.
Garlic is known for giving people smelly breath, and with the many people royals will meet on a daily basis, they would prefer to meet them without their breath smelling of garlic.
The Correct Way to Hold Cutlery
Many people have different ways they might hold and use their cutlery, but the royal way is the only way at a fancy dinner.
Royals will hold their fork in their left hand and their knife in their right hand. The tines of the fork need to be facing down, and you should eat with your elbows against your side, according to The Mirror.
How to Position Your Cutlery
Not only is there a certain way to hold your cutlery, but royals also have a particular way to signal to palace staff when they are pausing eating and when they are finished eating entirely.
You can’t just say that you’re finished or are still eating. If you need to pause to have a drink or speak to someone, you should position your cutlery slightly tilted like a loose triangle. If you are completely finished, you should position your cutlery in the 6 o’clock position, with the top of the cutlery positioned at 12 and the handles at 6, according to Food Republic.
Napkins Have to Be Folded in a Certain Way
Think you can turn up to a royal dinner and either not use your napkin or just throw it onto your lap without a second thought? Think again.
Former royal butler, Grant Harrold, told Express that royals should fold their napkin in half, with the crease facing toward men and away from women. This is so if you need to dab your mouth, you can do so and then keep the stain out of sight.
Do Not Be Late
Being on time is very important to royals, and lateness to a royal dinner will not be tolerated.
If you are only going to be running no more than 10 minutes late, then that is okay. However, if you’re going to be turning up any later than that, you will have to let the palace know.
When the Monarch Is Finished, You Are Finished
The monarch sets the pace of the meal, and when they are finished eating, so are you.
Even if you are only halfway through your meal, if the monarch has finished theirs, you are finished too. People also cannot start eating until the monarch has started eating.
The Monarch Talks to Guests in Turn
You cannot just start talking to the monarch if you happen to be sitting next to them, as there are rules to be followed.
The monarch will start by talking to the person on their right during the first course, and will then talk to the person on their left during the second course, according to the Telegraph.
Thirteen People Will Not Sit Down to Eat
It might seem like a weird number to some, but the late queen in particular was reported to not allow 13 people to sit at a table, according to Yahoo! Life.
Many people are superstitious for many reasons about the number 13, and the queen was worried about upsetting someone by having 13 people at a table. For this reason, she would either have less than 13 or more than 13 people sitting at each table, but never 13 exactly.
