United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, state dinners are usually hosted by the head of state, who is the British sovereign, currently Queen Elizabeth II. Traditionally all state dinners were held at Buckingham Palace because of its position in the heart of London. However, in recent years, banquets are more often held at Windsor Castle in Berkshire. Organisation of the state dinner usually falls to the Master of the Household with a seating plan confirmed both by the Queen and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. State dinners are usually held for visiting heads of state and are very elaborate; Royal Protocol is generally very strict but this has been played down over recent years. All speeches that are read are again checked and confirmed by the Foreign office, and amended. Gifts are exchanged by both parties.
Read more about this topic: State Dinner
Famous quotes containing the words united and/or kingdom:
“I thought it altogether proper that I should take a brief furlough from official duties at Washington to mingle with you here to-day as a comrade, because every President of the United States must realize that the strength of the Government, its defence in war, the army that is to muster under its banner when our Nation is assailed, is to be found here in the masses of our people.”
—Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901)
“The kingdom of man over nature, which cometh not with observation,—a dominion such as now is beyond his dream of God,—he shall enter without more wonder than the blind man feels who is gradually restored to perfect sight.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)