A ROYAL DINNER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 85, 11 April 1931, Page 4 (Supplement)

A ROYAL DINNER.

INFORMAL, BUT STATELY. "When the King and Queen are at Windsor Castle they dine with the gentlemen of the Household in their Windsor uniforms, r black, with red collars and cuffs. These uniforms, designed by the Prince Consort, are worn only when the Court is in residence at Windsor, and are the personal gift of the King to the wearers. It is only at Windsor, too, that the members of the Household dine with the King and Queen. At Buckingham Palace the King and Queen, With any members of the Royal Family who are their guests, always take their meals in the Chinese dining room, while the ladies and gentlemen in waiting dine in the Household dining room.

But whether the Court is in London, Windsor, Sandringham, or elsewhere, informality and simplicity are the keynotes of Eoyal meals, says the Glasgow "Weekly Herald." Dinner is always served at half-past eight, and never lasts more than an hour, after which coffee is served in the drawing room. Lunch is an elastic meal, starting at 1.30, and lasting only 20 minutes if the King is busy, and sometimes an hour and a half if he wishes to prolong a discussion with some Minister or diplomat who is his guest. . The luncheon menu is very simple— usually only three courses —and rice pudding is often included. The Queen is particularly fond of souffles, and these dishes are often served at dinner. The King likes plain dishes, and is very fond of toast, which he eats with all his meals —breakfast, luncheon, tea and dinner. At one time bread for the Eoyal table was baked in the castle itself, but nowadays it every day to Windsor by a big London firm. All the bread used is baked from British flour, and the Queen insists that only British .flour shall be used in pastry made by the Eoyal chefs. One chef has the special duty of attending to pastries, another to roast meats, and another to "the cold meat larder," while under them is a staff of kitchen "boys." Even on ordinary days separate kitchens are used for baking meats, for boiling, and for making pastry and sweets. Though in the present reign much of the less necessary formality has been dispensed with, there is still a certain stateliness about the everyday life of. both the King and Quoen, and at Wind.sor especially everything is done in accordance with traditional usage. When the King gives a big dinner party to 30 or 40 guests, footmen waiting at table all wear full-dress livery, gold epaulettes, knee breeches, silk stockings, and powdered U...