The King and Queen will be joined by Hollywood star Stanley Tucci for a black tie dinner on Friday to celebrate Italian cuisine ahead of their state visit to Italy and the Vatican.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the tour will take place in early April, coinciding with Charles and Camilla’s 20th wedding anniversary.
During the visit, they will meet Pope Francis at the Vatican and celebrate the Catholic Church’s Pilgrims of Hope jubilee year, as well as visiting Rome and the north-eastern city of Ravenna, known for its early Christian mosaic artwork.
Ahead of this, the pair have invited the Italian-American Devil Wears Prada actor and well-known foodie, as well as the Italian ambassador to the UK, Inigo Lambertini, to Highgrove to enjoy a feast of sustainable Slow Food.
The menu was created by renowned Italian chef Francesco Mazzei and inspired by Tucci, who fronted the TV series Tucci – The Heart of Italy.
Created using entirely British ingredients blended with Italian culinary traditions and local flavours, the dishes aim to embody the principles of Slow Food.
Drinks will be prepared by Italian mixologist Alessandro Palazzi using Italian flavours and herbs from Charles’s beloved Highgrove Gardens.
The Slow Food initiative was launched in 1986 in the small Italian town of Bra when food writer Carlo Petrini took exception to the opening of a McDonald’s in Rome’s Piazza di Spagna, leading to widespread national protests.
It promotes the right to good, clean and fair food for all, and strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine.
Charles has long been a champion of the Slow Food philosophy.
The event will also promote Slow Fashion, with the King and Queen meeting King’s Foundation’s students and being shown garments demonstrating their sustainable fashion and heritage skills.
The Slow Fashion movement encourages people to buy fewer, higher-quality items which last longer.
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