Donald Trump is not a gourmand. The man loves a Big Mac and french fries. He reportedly likes a well-done steak, hard as a brick, and he loves Doritos. His favorite drink in the world is Diet Coke. What I’m trying to say is that it’s a fool’s errand for world leader to try to impress Trump with a world-class menu at a state dinner. For last week’s banquet in Windsor Castle, King Charles approved of a three-course meal, per NYT: “The menu began with a Hampshire watercress panna cotta, served with parmesan shortbread and quail egg salad. The main course was an organic Norfolk chicken ballotine wrapped in courgettes, with a thyme and savory-infused jus. For dessert, guests were to be served a vanilla ice cream bombe with Kentish raspberry sorbet interior and lightly poached Victoria plums.” Basically, cheese, salad, chicken and ice cream. Which is pretty smart for someone like Trump. Still, there was a major snafu behind-the-scenes, at least according to the Daily Mail:
The lavish Windsor Castle banquet held as the centrepiece of President Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain was hit by a furious behind-the-scenes row, The Daily Mail has learned. The spectacular dinner saw Trump and his wife Melania hosted by King Charles, Prince William and Princess Kate, surrounded by dozens of high-flying business chiefs and diplomats from both sides of the Atlantic. But as the 160 VIP guests enjoyed their three course meal in the refined surroundings of Windsor Castle’s St George’s Hall, tensions ‘below stairs’ were soon boiling over.
Sources have told the Daily Mail that several members of the Secret Service team guarding the President went into the kitchen to oversee the preparation by the royal chefs, and even tasting the food – which some of them felt was disruptive. The guests were blissfully unaware but the atmosphere in the kitchen quickly became tense as tempers began to fray between kitchen staff and visiting American security.
The royal source said: ‘The banquet was a resounding success in the main hall, but there was a disruption behind the scenes. Tensions flared between the chefs preparing the meal and the US security team responsible for protecting the President and his entourage. The chefs, working to plate three courses flawlessly, grew frustrated as US Secret Service agents repeatedly checking and even sampling all the food. What began as quiet irritation escalated into a heated exchange, with raised voices on both sides. It took several minutes for tempers to cool and for the kitchen to return to its usual rhythm. Guests in the hall remained completely unaware of the row, but in the kitchen, it was impossible to miss.’
It pains me to say this, but… isn’t this business as usual for the Secret Service? While it sounds like they were going out of their way to make nuisances out of themselves, it also sounds like the palace kitchen team were (stupidly) unprepared for Secret Service to take those kinds of precautions when it came to handling the NotMyPresident’s food. Additionally, those British lushes made a big deal about the extensive wine list and another specialty cocktail made for the banquet. Did Charles not realize that Trump doesn’t drink alcohol? Granted, I’m sure everyone else enjoyed their wine and cocktails, but I’m also sure that Trump was dying for a Diet Coke.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Place settings at the banquet table in St George’s Hall, Windsor Castle, Berkshire, ahead of the state banquet for US President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, on day one of their second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038188967, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump as they attend the State Banquet during U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit, at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, Britain, September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189142, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Phil Noble/Avalon
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- King Charles III delivers his speech as US President Donald Trump and the Princess of Wales listen during the state banquet for the US President and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189435, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
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- The Princess of Wales, US President Donald Trump and King Charles III at the state banquet for the US President and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189446, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
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- US President Donald Trump delivers his speech as King Charles III and the Princess of Wales listen during the state banquet for the US President and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189462, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
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- US President Donald Trump delivers his speech as King Charles III and the Princess of Wales listen during the state banquet for the US President and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189483, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
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- US President Donald Trump speaks during the state banquet at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of his second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189518, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- The Princess of Wales, US President Donald Trump and King Charles III at the state banquet for the US President and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189596, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
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- US President Donald Trump (centre) stands between the Princess of Wales and King Charles III, during the state banquet at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of his second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189617, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
It doesn’t take multiple agents and they don’t eat the food. Why is he the first president we are hearing had an issue like this? Because the agents he hand selects to guard him are as horrible as he is. Remember the ones with him on January 6th supported attacking Mike Pence and the Capitol.
When Rick Wilson started with ETTD, everything Trump touches dies, he has been proven right every time. The secret service being one of many examples.
Sounds like wannabe king trump thinks he needs food tasters so he can’t be poisoned.
Trumps also had multiple attempts on his life so that makes sense they would test the food, Trump has also stirred up a ton of other countries the UK being one of them.
Ah yes those fake attempts on his life to get people to feel sorry for him and vote for him and to cover up the things he lied about doing for America.
Actually – I just looked it up online: Secret Service, while not having an official “taster” DO sample food for several reasons (e.g., over-salted, correct cooking temp for food safety, etc.). The Secret Service agents that do this are trained and vetted for this purpose. Per my search, AI stated, “For state dinners or other events abroad where the president’s own culinary staff may not have complete control, military “mess specialists” have been known to taste the president’s food. For meals prepared by a trusted ally, like in Buckingham Palace, the Secret Service will trust the host country’s security to have vetted the staff.”
This. It hasn’t happened in the past because a competent Secret Service, knowing that the meal was being prepared in the Windsor Castle kitchens and was also being served to the King and the Prime Minister, would have made a minimal, discrete fuss. Now, with a power-hungry Dump and his lackeys, they don’t have the common sense or instincts that God gave a flea, so they overstep.
I read about the menu. What a waste of a gourmet meal on these hicks.
It sounds soooo good.
Zucchini-wrapped chicken sounds awesome. Must find the recipe and try out for myself. Of course, it was wasted on a bloated orange buffoon who thinks Big Macs are the height of haute cuisine.
The kitchen staff is used to serving world leaders and dealing with security so if there was a fight over something I’m going to blame the secret service unfortunately.
absolutely this. this is totally NOT normal. they should have served him cold fast food and diet coke, just how he likes
Interesting that article leaves out Kween Camilla as one of the hosts but includes WanK who weren’t even allowed to stand under the welcome tent with everyone else. I bet she’s behind this “story”. And considering they couldn’t/wouldn’t let Thump even be seen by anyone in the public, I guess it tracks that they would be paranoid about his food.
The secret service used to be competent but it has been destroyed since orange got there. During the first term he got one of his crooked buddies to run it and it was going down then. Biden was able to reconnect with his old ones as president, but the botched response to the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania tells you they are a joke. The fact they didn’t scope out the only building in a field with a perfect angle to shoot at the people on stage was one mistake. The ridiculous slow response after the shots were fired, especially in removing orange idiot from the scene just is something never seen before.
For comparison there is footage of the response to Reagan being shot. Which was super quick. And there is also footage of Gerald Ford being shot at as well.
None of the SS agents kept the president exposed once the shots went off.
So we could say that either the SS listens way to much too their idiot president, or they are just untrained morons. And it’s those same people who would have been in the uk screwing around in the kitchens.
Shouldn’t the kitchen staff be accustomed to the secret service tasting the food? This is not the first time that a US president attended a state banquet?
Somehow I doubt it. Do they imagine the food being served to the British Monarch and his guests in the 21st Century is going to be poisoned? No, this was over-the-top behaviour from the SS, just because The Donald considers himself to be a wannabe King as they were in medieval times when food tasters were the norm. This ain’t Game of Thrones. So glad he’s finally out of our country.
As Asian these foods in the menu sounds meh. Also I’m confused in the picture of plate where they placed knives on left side and fork on right side. But I learned that as per dinner etiquette knives should on right side and fork on left. Am I wrong ? Help me westerners.
I think the main dinner plate is the one with the napkin — with the knives and spoon to the right of the dinner plate, and the forks to its left. The gold rimmed plate to the right of that might be a bread plate — with the small, curved knife above that for butter or cheese. That plate might also be a charger plate for a separate course. (I’m just guessing here, so please feel more than free to correct any/all of this.)
I’m curious about the spoon beneath the glasses /goblets — which I’ve never seen before. Perhaps it’s for coffee or tea? I’m also curious about the number of glasses — since I don’t think that Trump drinks alcohol. I can imagine that anyone at that table with Trump would want alcohol to get through the meal — but I’d be interested in knowing what Trump was served instead.
The menu sounds kind of bland to me, but I’d really like to try the Parmesan shortbread!
Trump may not drink alcohol but the Royals and their other guests sure do. They cannot alter the place settings (i.e. remove the wine glasses) just to pander to Trump. Trump appeared to be drinking only water. It would have been better for everyone if they had just served him a Big Mac and a Diet Coke, given what he said to Karoline Leavitt aboard Air Force One on the way back to the USA. He referred to the food at the state banquet as ‘whatever the hell they served us’. 😞
@Blithe – the spoon below the glasses is for dessert 🙂
Might it be a camera issue, reversing images?
The table setting is correct according to European etiquette. As another poster points out, the dinner plate is the one with the napkin on top of it.
I’ve heard that Trump loves to put ketchup on his steak. I wouldn’t be surprised if those same Secret Service agents had to run to the McDonald’s in Windsor to get the Orange One a Happy Meal at some point.
I would not be surprised at all. Maybe part of the reason for the agents’ behaviour is that they are more like personal servants rather than officers who have a professional allegiance to the office of the president. I highly doubt that he would have anyone on his detail that isn’t a toadie.
Re: The story photo /w frump at the dinner table…The caption should read “Poor Donny wishing he had a bunch of shiny, (albeit fake), medals”. And maybe a crown or two. You ever notice how Pegg and Charles”s medal collection keeps growing?
As many have stated, this isn’t the kitchen staff’s first rodeo (unless they’re all new to the job which is highly unlikely). So I’m going to assume that the SS (pun intended) was being particularly obnoxious and underfoot. After all, they should be trained for this sort of thing too. And it isn’t just Trump’s influence which has caused the deterioration of this once outstanding agency. Problems began showing up as early as the Obama administration. Trump has probably aggravated the situation (he always does), but I think the agency began going downhill when it was removed from the Treasury Department and placed in the newly created Department of Homeland Security while George W. Bush was president. That whole department is a dumpster fire beginning with ICE and should be abolished–if we had a real president and congress to abolish it.
This is the best explanation I have heard
This. Maybe I’m giving the palace too much credit, but they have hosted world leaders before. They’ve even hosted this one before without incident ( so far as we know). And that’s where I am coming at this: why are we hearing about the this?
My theory is that BP has not liked the optics of them kowtowing and being obsequious to the Rotten Pumpkin. So, this little glimpse behind the scenes is an attempt to regain some dignity by highlighting the buffoonery and crassness of the president and his staff, contrasting with the professional, stiff upper lips of the Brits. Sort of “See how patient we were with this fool? You have no idea how bad it was”. That’s the vibe I’m getting, anyway.
The creation of the department of Homeland Security was a mistake from day one. This was to pretend they were going to do something post 9/11 but it really consolidated power which now is in the hands of fascist Barbie.
I did not know the secret service was moved to the DHS, but that explains why it isn’t competent anymore.
The Dems should campaign on getting rid of the DHS and moving back the responsibilities to other departments. It will end up saving them money too.
Whenever I see the pictures from this visit, all that comes to mind are the pictures of Edward and Wallis with the Nazi’s back in the day. Here we are, almost 100 years later.
Is this the same SS (like the commentator above, I use the acronym deliberately) that destroyed hundreds of pages of its own archive, in the 1990s, when the Assassination Records Review Board requested documents from literally every branch of the federal government in order to declassify files on the Kennedy assassination, which occurred thirty years earlier? *That* SS? Oh, right…. Colour me shocked, as they spell the word here. I mean. The same SS that accepted Trump’s instructions *not* to protect Kamala Harris? You don’t say??? Here’s the problem: institutions, like fish, rot from the head. A former head of the Secret Service, U.E. Baughman, if memory serves, went public with serious qualms about their performance after Dallas. They seem to have overcompensated by going “heavy” in ways that are not only counterproductive but oddly incriminating. And pointless. Like, do they really think someone is trying to poison him, in the Royal Household? Overkill. Pardon the pun. But it bespeaks a deeper psychological crisis of confidence that one might compare to a bad conscience…
Yes
Also the same SS that deleted all their texts and records of other communications from the Jan 6th attack on Congress, insurrection, coup attempt.
In medieval times Kings had someone to taste their food before they ate it to make sure that it was not poisoned. I did not know that they are still doing it.
Honestly, except for the ice cream (and what is Kentish? Is that like Berkshireish?), the menu sounds horrible. I think they were just going for some kind of umami bomb to cater to their perception of Trump’s tastes. Yuck.
“Kentish” is an adjective that describes something that’s from or related to Kent. It’s not an unusual adjective construction; the adjectives “English” and “British” follow the same construction.
I know that in Washington, the Secret Service does the grocery shopping. They have a long list of local grocery stores and pull from a hat just before they leave to choose which one they go to. Tasting the food sounds like one of those bullshit things Trumpers come up with. They do it in the movies, so we have to do it now, despite the fact that it’s actually useless.
And the Secret Service has a terrible reputation. It used to be work hard, party hard, but since the move to DHS, it’s just party hard and be corrupt.
I don’t blame guests for wanting to drink lots of alcohol to get through dinner with a fascist dictator with a dirty diaper.
Charles had to ply them with that to stay. It wasn’t for Cheeto.
I found a video in The Independent today rather amusing. It showed a conversation between Trump and Karoline Leavitt aboard Air Force One on the way back to America. When asked about the state dinner he said: “He ate ‘whatever the hell they served us’.” Perhaps they should just have given him a Big Mac and a Diet Coke, or an incinerated steak.
Tbh I’m. Still cackling over the million articles about St Kate’s incredible beauty. That tiara plonked on the wig really did the trick there.
BTW why couldn’t he drink diet coke? If that’s what I drank, I’d ask for it.
This is straight out of the first Downton Abbey movie.
Should have just served spaghetti and garlic bread! Now that would have been entertaining to watch!