The King and Queen were joined by celebrities at a black-tie dinner celebrating Italian cuisine and “slow food”.
Among the guests for Charles and Camilla’s event at Highgrove House were Victoria and David Beckham, Dame Helen Mirren and Stanley Tucci.
The pair invited actors and stars – as well as Italian ambassador Inigo Lambertini – to the King’s Gloucestershire estate to enjoy a sustainable slow food-themed feast.
The slow food initiative was launched in 1986 in the small Italian town of Bra when food writer Carlo Petrini took exception to the opening of a McDonald’s in Rome’s Piazza di Spagna, leading to widespread national protests.
Charles has long been a champion of the philosophy, telling the crowd during dinner that slow food and Italy were “dear to my heart”.
The King also said: “Good food brings people together and what we choose to eat helps to define us – as families, communities and nations.
“It brings us sustenance, but also comfort. It binds generations, as recipes are passed down from one to another. It is a thing of beauty – ‘edible art’…”
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The Queen spoke ahead of the dinner with David and Victoria about life in the Cotswolds, which the former Manchester United midfielder said was “so beautiful”.
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He added: “We love it. We are very happy there. We’ve got chickens…” Camilla then interjected: “I’ve got chickens too!”
The King also made a martini with Italian mixologist Alessandro Palazzi, laughing when the lemon almost went up his nose as he tried to take a sip.
The menu was created by renowned Italian chef Francesco Mazzei and inspired by Tucci, who fronted the TV series Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy.
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It comes after Buckingham Palace confirmed that the King and Queen will visit both Italy and the Holy See in April – coinciding with their 20th wedding anniversary.
Both of the royals will join Pope Francis in celebrating the 2025 Jubilee Year and will visit Rome and the northeastern city of Ravenna during the state visits.
