A luxurious lobster dinner for King Charles III cost the French president’s office €475,000 (£400,000), as reported by the country’s audit office.
President Emmanuel Macron spared no expense for the monarch’s visit in September, treating guests to blue lobster, crab, and a variety of cheeses.
However, in its annual report on the presidential accounts, the Cour des Comptes cautioned that increased spending on state receptions had contributed to a budget deficit of €8.3 million.
And it says the Elysée now needs to make “significant efforts… to restore and sustain the financial balance of the financial balance of the presidency”.
Of the money spent on the dinner, over €165,000 went towards catering, with an additional €40,000 spent on drinks.
Guests at the star-studded banquet, which included actor Hugh Grant, football manager Arsene Wenger, and Rolling Stone Mick Jagger, enjoyed a luxurious menu featuring blue lobster and crab, followed by Bresse poultry with mushroom gratin.
The meal also included a cheese course with French Comté and British Stichelton blue, and for dessert, they were served a rose macaroon cookie, made with rose petal cream, raspberries, and lychees.
This lavish banquet at the Palace of Versailles was part of King Charles’ three-day state visit to France, aimed at strengthening the key alliance between the two countries. Initially scheduled for March, the visit was postponed due to widespread protests over pension reforms in major cities.
King Charles’ visit is not the only one highlighted in the report; a July 2023 banquet for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Louvre, which cost the presidential office €412,000, was also mentioned.
The audit office noted that higher spending on state receptions, including these banquets, resulted in a 14% increase in expenditure compared to the previous year, while revenue earned by the presidency only saw a 6.5% rise.