King Charles III is rolling out the red carpet for a historic guest, hosting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Budenbender, for a glittering state banquet at Windsor Castle tonight.
A Culinary Diplomacy: The State Banquet Menu
This evening's lavish dinner in St George's Hall forms the centrepiece of a three-day state visit, the first from a German head of state in 27 years. In keeping with long-standing tradition, the menu has been meticulously crafted by handpicked chefs and is presented in French.
The gastronomic journey for President Steinmeier and fellow guests begins with an open tartlet of hot smoked trout, accompanied by langoustines, quail eggs, and a rich shellfish sauce.
For the main course, the kitchen will serve a Windsor Partridge Supreme wrapped in delicate puff pastry, served with confit cabbage and a Port wine sauce. This will be paired with crushed carrots and swede, alongside a selection of seasonal winter vegetables.
The dessert promises a theatrical finish: a Baked Alaska featuring blackberry, vanilla, and raspberry ice creams. Coffee and Petit Fours will conclude the formal dining. A new tradition continues with a special cocktail created for the event, inspired by the flavours of a Black Forest gateau.
Adding a poignant personal touch, the wine selection will include Château La Fleur-Pétrus, Pomerol, 1995, marking the year of the President and First Lady's wedding.
Contrast with Previous Royal Hospitality
The menu for the German leader shows a distinct departure from the fare served during the US state visit in September. President Donald Trump and his guests were offered a starter of Hampshire watercress panna cotta with parmesan shortbread and quail egg salad.
Their main was an organic Norfolk chicken ballotine wrapped in courgettes, followed by a dessert of a vanilla ice cream bombe with a Kentish raspberry sorbet centre and poached Victoria plums.
Pomp and Pageantry in Windsor
The German state visit commenced this morning when the Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed the presidential couple at Heathrow Airport. The ceremonial highlight saw the German President and First Lady travel in a carriage procession through the streets of Windsor with The King and Queen.
Crowds lined the flag-decorated route, which was guarded by ceremonial troops from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army, and Royal Air Force. The procession culminated in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle, where President Steinmeier, accompanied by King Charles, inspected the troops to the sound of Beethoven's ‘Marsch des Yorck’schen Korps’.
This visit is notably only the fifth state visit from Germany since 1958. For King Charles, it represents his third inward state visit this year, following the hosting of French President Emmanuel Macron in July and US President Donald Trump in September.
