The King and Queen welcome the president and first lady (Aaron Chown/PA)The special mocktail is one of a number of adaptations made at the banquet in St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle because it falls during the holy month of Ramadan. The King introduced the tradition of serving a bespoke after-banquet cocktail at each state dinner, but usually the drink is alcoholic. Wine was served to those guests who do drink alcohol, and a sparkling English wine was used for toasts. The handpicked spring flowers and foliage are from the gardens at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and The Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park. The silver gilt Grand Service being used for the banquet consists of 4,000 pieces and was commissioned by the extravagant George IV as the Prince of Wales.

Source: The Guardian March 19, 2026 03:07 UTC