When Queen Elizabeth invited President Trump for a state visit, she planned a royal weekend that included parades, gun salutes, a viewing of American artifacts from the Royal Collection, and a banquet for 160 guests at Windsor Castle. The queen gives about two state dinners a year. No problem, she could use her old dishes and serving pieces. The mahogany table with 68 leaves was made in 1846. The table was set with 2,000 pieces of silver-gilt cutlery and 960 glasses, six to each guest. The dinner was served on the “Grand Service,” a silver-gilt set ordered by George IV when he was Prince of Wales in 1806. The set includes more than 4,000 pieces — 288 dinner plates, 140 dishes, 118 salts, 58 dessert stands and centerpieces, 107 candelabra, and many other smaller pieces. It took three weeks to clean and polish the pieces by hand. Additional porcelain dishes were used for pudding and fruit courses. The napkins were folded into “Dutch Bonnets.” All of this was needed to properly serve the fillet of halibut, asparagus spears, saddle of lamb with stuffing, carrots and spring vegetables, and a strawberry and lemon cream with fruit. And of course, seven different wines. Then there were coffee and petit fours. The news reports said dinner was delicious, everyone was served at once, and their food was hot. There were four servers for each person. The Queen has had 113 state dinners before this one, so she knew how to run a perfect party.

Photo: Twitter/The Royal Family @RoyalFamily