Dine like a King in Charles’ favourite room at Scottish mansion
Charles takes most of his evening meals in the Pink Dining Room while staying at Dumfries House, the headquarters of The King’s Foundation charity.
Diners are to be given the chance to experience an 18th century feast in the King’s favourite room at Dumfries House.
Charles takes most of his evening meals in the Pink Dining Room while staying at the Scottish stately home in Ayrshire.
Now his charity, The King’s Foundation, is offering a new private dining experience, allowing members of the public the opportunity to enjoy a three-course meal, authentic to the 1700s and served by a traditional butler, in the royal chamber.
The room – with its pale rosy hue – is the best preserved in the mansion, which was saved for the nation in 2007 by a consortium led by Charles as the Prince of Wales.
The King is a particular fan of the pink-tinted rococo plasterwork on the walls and ceiling, inspired by the Roman ruins of Palmyra in Syria.
Guests will eat at the King’s table – but not in the presence of the monarch – beneath the 35kg Murano glass floral chandelier, which was painstakingly reassembled after being found in the basement in more than 100 pieces nearly 20 years ago.
Menus will be based on 18th century dishes, such as poached salmon, fish soup, and manchet bread for starters, followed by roasted venison and beef, parmentier potatoes and a juniper sauce, and lemon and pistachio syllabub, bread and butter pudding, and apple and almond trifle for dessert.
Evan Samson, who leads the front of house team at Dumfries House, said: “For a select number of guests, the 18th century dining experience will be authentic to the 1700s, with traditional butler service – including the meal being served ‘family-style’ – and a menu researched and prepared by our chefs that reflects the culinary fashions typical of country houses in that age.”
The candlelit experience is available on selected dates and costs from £375 per person.
The origins of the grand room are outlined on the Foundation’s website.
“Dining rooms were the hub of social life in the 18th century, so right from the start, it was more elaborately decorated than any other room in the house,” it says.
The bespoke dining experience follows a similar one at the Queen Mother’s former home the Castle of Mey in the summer where guests were invited to eat at the same table used by the King and the late Queen Elizabeth II, and tour the Queen Mother’s gardens.
Also on offer, from August to October next year, are Harvest Lunches in the estate’s Queen Elizabeth II Walled Garden at a cost of £105 per person.
Guests will be served produce grown in the education garden in the grounds, with dishes such as such as pan fried cod with onion puree and artichoke, followed by apple crumble and ice cream.
Dumfries House near Cumnock is the headquarters of The King’s Foundation, which Charles established to train the next generation of skilled craftspeople – including in fashion and textiles – in heritage techniques essential to many traditional UK industries.
Proceeds from the experiences will be used to support the work of the charity, which provides practical education courses for more than 15,000 students every year.
More information can be found at dumfries-house.org.uk including stays at Dumfries House Lodge, which sits on the edge of the estate a few hundreds metres from the main Dumfries House.
