King Charles and Queen Camilla will be hosting French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte tonight at Windsor Castle for an incredibly lavish state banquet in his honour.
For events such as these, the royal household unsurprisingly has an incredibly tight set of security protocols that are put in place: even the chef's equipment for royal banquets has to be rigorously checked before being used to serve the monarch.
HELLO! spoke to Graham Tinsley MBE, a former royal chef and manager of the Welsh Culinary Team who experienced the various protocols, perks and quirks of catering the royal family firsthand.
He revealed: "If we were just cooking for the royal family, we weren't always aware of the security. It only changed if there were Heads of State coming over, and then the security was really really tight."
Graham also explained that, for engagements in Wales, they would set up a satellite kitchen in the grounds of Cardiff or Caerphilly Castle to transfer food to a banquet on foot.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageThe former royal chef added: "If we were catering for a Heads of State banquet, however, then all the catering staff would have to meet at a police station and get a motorcycle ride into Cardiff Castle."
He also revealed that all royal staff and chefs have to follow incredibly thorough security procedures before they are allowed to cater for a monarch.
© Getty ImagesGraham noted: "For higher calibre banquets, we're required to put all our food, containers, knives and kitchen equipment through an X-ray machine whilst motorcycles then drove us into the castle. Some banquets even had code names to protect their security!"
King Charles and Queen Camilla's state banquet
Tonight the King and Queen will host Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron for a state banquet to emphasise and strengthen the partnership between the UK and France, marking the first of three days of the French President's state visit.
© Getty ImagesBoth King Charles and President Macron are set to make speeches – we've seen a preview of the English monarch's, and it serves as a powerful declaration of unity for the two countries.
He will begin: "For centuries, our citizens have admired each other, and imitated each other," adding that he is still "in awe" of France's extraordinary attributes and achievements."
The father of Prince William and Prince Harry will address the "multitude of complex threats" facing both countries, asserting the importance of their unity. He will conclude: "Our two nations share not only values, but also the tireless determination to act on them in the world."
