Out of town pool report #13 - Banquet menu and details

Royal officials gave journalists a preview of the State Dinner, featuring a walkthrough of the giant table beneath the towering vaults of St George's Hall.

A scan of the place settings showed that one side of the table, the arrangement of key players is, from left to right, Marco Rubio, King Charles, President Trump, Princess Catherine.

On the opposite side, also from left to right: Scott Bessent, Queen Camilla, Melania Trump and Prince William.

British PM Starmer was placed next to Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman and Jeanette Rubio.

Other guests on other parts of the table included: Rupert Murdoch, Apple's Tim Cook seated next to Tiffany Trump, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Open AI's Sam Altman... and US Masters-winning golfer Nick Faldo.

160 guests in total

The banquet table is 47.3 m (155 feet) long -- equivalent to 2.7 Marine Ones -- has 139 candles, 1452 pieces of cutlery, and just over 100 staff.

The table itself takes a week to put together, a task that was completed on Sunday. Cutlery was then laid on Monday.

The royal household put the seating plan together based on guests provided by the UK government and the White House.

The menu is as follows. Guests have cards with the menu in French, but there are several large cards with the English version placed on easels around the room.

Starter: Panna Cotta de Cresson et OEufs de Caille sur Sablé de Parmesan (Hampshire Watercress Panna Cotta with Parmesan Shortbread and Quail Egg Salad)

Main: Ballotine de Poulet Fermier en Robe de Courgettes (Organic Norfolk Chicken Ballotine wrapped in Courgettes, with a Thyme and Savoury Infused Jus)

Dessert: Bombe Glacée Cardinal (Vanilla Ice Cream Bombe with Kentish Raspberry Sorbet interior with lightly poached Victoria Plums)

As Trump doesn't drink alcohol, royal officials said the presidential team would tell them what soft drinks he would be drinking

But he wine list features a California red, Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, 2000.

There's also an English sparkling wine, Wiston Estate, Cuvée, 2016; a white, Domaine Bonneau de Martray, Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru, 2018; and for champagne, Pol Roger, Extra Cuvée de Réserve, 1998.

Pol Roger was chosen because it was Winston Churchill's favorite and Trump has often expressed admiration for Britain's wartime leader.

After dinner guests will be served Warre’s 1945 Vintage Port -- in recognition of Donald J. Trump as the 45th, as well as the 47th, President; Hennessy 1912 Cognac Grande Champagne, from The President’s mother’s birth year; and Bowmore Queen’s Cask 1980, Islay, a gift to the late Queen Elizabeth in 1980, which was bottled for her Golden Jubilee in 2002.

They've also created a special cocktail called Transatlantic Whisky Sour, "a UK/US twist on the classic Whisky Sour," blending Johnnie Walker Black, marmalade, pecan foam and garnished with a toasted marshmallow set on a star-shaped biscuit, "evoking the warmth of a fireside S’more."

Flowers include handpicked seasonal flowers and herbs from the gardens at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and The Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park.

The playlist meanwhile includes some Trump favorites including Nessun Dorma, Tiny Dancer and a James Bond Medley, which have been played at his rallies.

Danny Kemp

AFP White House correspondent