In Poland, it appears that the Prince of Wales has shown his support for LGBTQ+ persons, despite warnings from campaigners that this population is increasingly discriminated against.
Warsaw’s Butero Cafe, which bills itself as a “gay space,” shocked its patrons last night when William stopped by for a modest £7.50 dinner.
When seated with a group of individuals he assumed to be Kensington Palace workers, he placed an order for the Kanapka w chace meal.
The royal appearance came during his surprise visit to the country to ‘personally thank’ Polish and British troops supporting Ukraine.
One excited local at the next table posted snaps to Instagram, saying that he was surprised to have ‘dinner with a prince’.
He commented that it was ‘interesting’ that the future King had chosen a venue that is linked with the LGBTQ+ community.
‘It is valuable that he supported the community so abused by the current authorities in Poland’, he said.
Owner Paweł Zasim has said that the restaurant ‘is an inclusive space where everyone can feel good.’
He told the Daily Mail he had ‘absolutely no idea’ the royal was coming and the table had initially been booked for a birthday party for ‘Daisy’.
‘But then a bodyguard appeared and said that this wasn’t going to be a Daisy birthday party and then Prince William walked in’, he said.
‘They said they had a good time, they spent three hours here with the other guests that were already here.
‘He ate our sandwich in a braided roll with pulled pork. And he ate everything so I think he liked it.’
A source said that William’s team had booked the dinner and he had asked to come along. They added that ‘a great night’ was had by all.
Butero Bistro, which has a logo with rainbow colours, is reported to have pieces of LGBTQ+ art on the walls and offers drag queen performances.
According to ILGA-Europe’s 2022 report, the status of LGBTQ rights in Poland is the worst among European Union countries.
The law does not legally recognize same-sex unions, either in the form of marriage or civil unions.
In 2020, dozens of Polish towns declared themselves free of ‘LGBT ideology’, with pride parades and other gay-friendly events blocked – prompting legal action from the EU.
A report from Amnesty International in July warned Polish authorities have targeted LGBTI people with stigmatising and harmful rhetoric, and refused or frustrated their attempts to protest.
It added that they experience extensive barriers in access to justice, interference in judicial proceedings by the Ministry for Justice and Prosecutor General and a clampdown on their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
On Thursday, William visited the Hala Koszyki food hall in Warsaw to speak to those who have fled Ukraine.
He had earlier met Poland’s president Andrzej Duda at the Presidential Palace, where they discussed the war in Ukraine.