Watch: ₹4 Crore Blue Lobster Banquet For King Charles Hosted By France

An extravagant state banquet for King Charles has cost the French government a staggering $500,000 (Rs 4 crore), as revealed by an audit report. The lavish event was organized by President Emmanuel Macron’s office during the monarch’s visit in September last year. Held at the opulent Palace of Versailles, the grand feast was attended by over 150 guests in a bid to strengthen the alliance between the UK and France.

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The star-studded event saw the likes of actor Hugh Grant, football manager Arsene Wenger, and Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger among the attendees. The menu featured blue lobster, a rare French delicacy, crab, poultry marinated in champagne, and a gratin of French mushrooms. Guests were also treated to an assortment of vintage wines, champagnes, international cheeses, and a dessert selection of French macarons with lychee, rose sorbet, and raspberry compote.

The French auditing organization Cour des Comptes highlighted in its annual report that such state receptions had significantly strained the budget, leaving it nearly $9 million in deficit. The report detailed that the entire dinner cost $513,000, with $179,000 allocated to food and $46,000 to drinks.

During his speech at the banquet, King Charles praised President Macron’s “generosity of spirit” and recalled the touching tributes paid in France to his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

This event was not the only lavish dinner hosted by the French government. In 2023, President Macron’s office spent $446,000 on a dinner for Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Louvre Museum.

The extravagant spending on state banquets has raised concerns over the financial management of such events, as highlighted by the recent audit report.