What does it actually mean to feast like a king? Well, there’s apparently a rule against garlic and onions at royal banquets to avoid stinky breath, shellfish is no-go in public for risk of getting food-poisoning and foie gras is banned on animal welfare grounds. Other than that, though, fine dining is at your finger tips.
Now, one of King Charles’ all-time fave castles, the Castle of Mey in the Scottish Highlands, is offering subjects of the crown (i.e all of us regular folk) a chance to dine like royalty. The 16th-century property in Caithness was once home to the Queen Mother and is now a regular holiday destination for Charles and Camilla.
When the king and queen aren’t around, parties of up to 12 can book a champagne tour followed by a three-course meal at the very same table they sit at, tailored to your personal preferences by a local chef. There will be a choice of whiskey or gin tasting in the drawing room, accompanied by a live bagpipes performance.
There isn’t a price listed online but the Times reports that the experience plus a night’s stay at the castle’s Granary Lodge costs £595 per person. If you’re interested, you’ll have to enquire via this email. Proceeds from the private dining experience will go to the King’s Foundation, which takes care of the property and offers education courses to students.
Mad about the monarchy?
Obviously, there’s Buckingham Palace in London, which has just launched the first ever tours of its balcony rooms, but the royal family has properties all over the UK that you can nosy around. The late Queen’s beloved Balmoral Castle has recently opened up to visitors, as have the Queen Mother’s former lodgings in Kent. Many of them no longer belong to the monarchy, but we’ve also got a vast population of historic castles open for exploring.
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