Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday threw a lavish State dinner for visiting Chinese President Xi Jingping and his wife Peng Liyuan.
Over expensive wine, an exquisite menu and royal ensemble, the Queen hailed the “milestone” visit of the Chinese president to Britain and declared Anglo-Chinese ties are being taken to “ambitious” new heights.
Here are highlights of the lavish evening at the Buckingham Palace:
1. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a bespoke red gown by Jenny Packham and the Lotus Flower Tiara, on loan from the Queen. This was only the third time she wore a tiara. The Queen wore a white tulle banquet dress in harlequin design, embroidered with white and silver beads and diamante sequins by her dressmaker Angela Kelly.
2. The dress code for the 150 guests, which was outlined on the invitations, was an evening dress (white tie), decorations, full ceremonial evening dress for serving officers, or national dress. It was intended as guidance, so guests are aware of what others would be wearing.
3. A dinner menu included a loin of venison from the Queen's Balmoral estate in Scotland, served in a Madeira and truffle sauce. To start, guests ate filet of west coast turbot with lobster mousse. There was a ‘delice’ of dark chocolate, mango and lime for dessert.
4. The Chinese president and his entourage were treated to Ridgeview Grosvenor 2009 Brut English sparkling wine as part of the event. Other wines chosen from the government’s £3m hospitality cellar included a Chateau Haut-Brion 1989, a regular fixture at fine wine auctions and a lauded Bordeaux vintage for several chateaux.
5. The musical programme, played by the Countess of Wessex's String Orchestra, included a number of Chinese folk songs. Among the pieces was a medley entitled Chinese Folk Fantasy and a folk song called Xiao He Tang Shui. Other ensembles included the Beatles track Eleanor Rigby and Nobody Does It Better -- the theme music from the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.
