With 160 guests, lobster, champagne and grand cru red wine on the menu, the opulence of the reception in honor of King Charles III aroused the curiosity of many French people. Our colleagues from Actu.fr sought to estimate the cost.
Camilla Parker Bowles and Charles III are visiting France between September 20 and 22, 2023. And the cost of the royal feast at the Palace of Versailles however, raises many questions among the French, echoing on social networks with sometimes extravagant assumptions. Our colleagues from Actu.fr investigated to demystify the real cost of this aristocratic event.
The investigation at the Élysée begins with the tempting menu: as a starter, blue lobster and crab cake on a bed of fresh almonds and mint, followed by Bresse poultry with a sweet corn aroma accompanied by a gratin of porcini mushrooms, mature cheeses and finally, the renowned macaroons of starred chef Pierre Hermé. The price of the ingredients themselves denotes a certain luxury, with blue lobster oscillating between 39 and 134 euros per kilo, and the kilo of porcini mushrooms, depending on their origin, varies between 25 and 40 euros.
The drinks list, obtained by Le Figaro, reveals an assortment of wines and champagnes among the most popular in France. Notably a Pol Roger cuvée Winston Churchill 2013 champagne, valued at 289 euros per bottle, a Bâtard Montrachet grand cru 2018 from the Olivier Leflaive estate at 563 euros per bottle, and a Château Mouton Rothschild 2004 in double magnum, decorated with a watercolor of the king Charles, listed at 2772 euros each.
The royal dinner saw a parade 160 guests, including celebrities like Patrick Vieira and Charlotte Gainsbourg. However, Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s remark on the absence of “real French people” such as a baker or a postman found a certain echo. The overall bill must also include the contribution of star chefs like Anne-Sophie Pic and Yannick Alléno, the stamp of the prodigy violinist Daniel Lozakovich, without forgetting the impeccable service with waiters handling the dishes with gloves to avoid fingerprints, in accordance with a tradition of refinement.
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A disturbing bill…
In these times of exacerbated inflation, this luxury display does not go down well with some French people. There is no shortage of critical feedback, expressing a form of “indecency” in the face of current economic difficulties. A feeling of disproportion which clashes with the principle of royal welcome. Actu.fr’s efforts to contact the Élysée and various financial institutions to obtain precise information on the cost of this royal dinner were met with a wall of silence.
Despite recent promises of transparency on the use of public funds, obtaining precise figures clearly remains a challenge, even a taboo. This royal dinner, between splendor and mystery, continues to fuel discussions, while the royal couple continues their visit to Bordeaux, leaving behind questions and a part of the French people in expectation.