Macron’s €500k Lobster Banquet for King Charles Creates Financial Strain on the Elysee

[Social Media]

 

President Emmanuel Macron's opulent state dinner for King Charles last year has come under scrutiny after an annual audit revealed it significantly impacted the Elysee Palace's finances. The lavish event, which took place at the historic Versailles Palace, cost close to €500,000 and featured a gourmet menu of lobster and crab. Among the 170 guests were notable figures like Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and actor Hugh Grant, highlighting the grandeur of the occasion.

 

The Elysee Palace’s budget for the year was stretched thin, with the state dinner being one of several high-cost events that contributed to an €8.3 million deficit. The total expenditure for the palace last year reached €125 million, covering a wide range of presidential and diplomatic activities, including administration, personnel, security, and estate management. However, the events for King Charles and India’s president, Narendra Modi, were among the most expensive engagements recorded by France’s state auditor, the Cour des Comptes.

 

The luxurious banquet, hosted by Macron and his wife Brigitte, was a key gesture to strengthen France-Britain relations post-Brexit. The elaborate feast, costing over €475,000, included a catering bill of €165,000 and was executed by a team of 45 chefs, including Michelin-starred Yannick Alléno, Anne-Sophie Pic, and pastry chef Pierre Hermé. The meticulously planned menu, which took three months to prepare, featured a starter of blue lobster and crab inspired by Louis XIV’s tastes, followed by Mr. Alléno’s poulet de Bresse with a cep gratin.

 

The drinks selection was equally impressive, with double magnums of Château Mouton-Rothschild 2004 grand cru classé Pauillac, whose label was designed by King Charles himself, and Pol Roger champagne. Guests dined at a 60-meter-long table adorned with locally sourced roses and hydrangeas in pink, purple, and white hues, set on plates made by the renowned Porcelaine de Sèvres.

King Charles and Queen Camilla were reportedly delighted by the event. A royal source mentioned their satisfaction, stating they were "really delighted by the whole thing."

 

President Macron's hospitality extended to other significant visits as well. When Indian President Narendra Modi visited in July, he received a curated tour of the Louvre’s masterpieces and an equally lavish dinner, which cost around €400,000. Despite the criticism from the audit court regarding the extravagant spending, particularly the waste caused by poor planning and the €830,000 lost in canceling 12 non-refundable trips, Macron's lavish hospitality was praised by some.

 

Critics have often labeled Macron as “the president of the rich,” but the reaction to these financial revelations has been relatively muted. One diplomatic source reflected positively on the Versailles event, describing it as "magnificent" and likening it to a fairytale, affirming the grandeur and historical significance of the location.

 

The Elysee Palace's financial strain from these events underscores the delicate balance between diplomatic grandeur and fiscal responsibility. While the lavish state dinners aimed to foster international relations and celebrate historical ties, they also highlight the need for more prudent financial planning to avoid substantial deficits in the future.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph  2024-08-01

 

 

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[JonnyF]

I do hope the kind hearted socialist Macron enjoyed this lavish banquet with royalty.

 

 

[RayC]

42 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I do hope the kind hearted socialist Macron enjoyed this lavish banquet with royalty.

 

 

 

Macron resigned from the Socialist Party in 2009. He's probably best described now as a right-of-centre liberal.

[Gandtee]

3 hours ago, JonnyF said:

I do hope the kind hearted socialist Macron enjoyed this lavish banquet with royalty.

 

 

Let them eat cake!

[retarius]

Looks like back to feudal times are coming back in Macron's mind. The rich and powerful eat luxuriously and the poor.....well there must be some chaff left over when they've finished winnowing the wheat? They can eat chaff, says Macron, reprising Marie-Antoinette. 

[2baht]

I do hope the King responds with one of those famous old British favorites.......Bangers and Mash or Fish and Chips with some jellied eel for afters! 

[mfd101]

All ridiculously over the top. The signal such extravagance sends is of totalitarian self-indulgence.

 

In a modern democracy you can entertain your guests appropriately at 1/20th of that price.

[thaibeachlovers]

It was that sort of thing that inspired the peasants to lop off the heads of royalty. Perhaps it's time for a tumbril to be sent for Macron.

[2baht]

4 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

In a modern democracy you can entertain your guests appropriately at 1/20th of that price.

No face in that, shoot the works, show them what a good bloke you are and have a bit of a laugh at the taxpayers expense! What's the mug taxpayer going to do about it???

[phili52]

That's a bit less than 3,000 Euro per guest including the wine, that's honest price for such dinner, but was itr necessary to have so many guest??

 

 

[blazes]

9 hours ago, Social Media said:

Among the 170 guests were notable figures like Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and actor Hugh Grant, highlighting the grandeur of the occasion.

 

Precisely how do riff-raff like Jagger bring "grandeur" to this or any other occasion?

 

(When is Asean News going to stop ChatGPT roll-outs of non-news?)

 

[roquefort]

14 hours ago, blazes said:

 

Precisely how do riff-raff like Jagger bring "grandeur" to this or any other occasion?

 

(When is Asean News going to stop ChatGPT roll-outs of non-news?)

 

Riff-raff? Well that's a snobbish view of the greatest rock star of all time (also a long-standing member of MCC and a national treasure).

[Thingamabob]

Eating animals is cruel and disgusting.

[blazes]

1 minute ago, Thingamabob said:

Eating animals is cruel and disgusting.

Are crabs and lobsters "animals"?

[blazes]

54 minutes ago, roquefort said:

Riff-raff? Well that's a snobbish view of the greatest rock star of all time (also a long-standing member of MCC and a national treasure).

 

Yes, snobbish, but no more snobbish than estimating a person's worth by virtue of his being a member of the MCC. 

When Jagger composes something like Handel's Messiah, then and only then would I be ready to call him a "national treasure."

 

[roquefort]

13 minutes ago, blazes said:

 

When Jagger composes something like Handel's Messiah, then and only then would I be ready to call him a "national treasure."

 

So it's your taste in music that makes him "riff-raff"? Many would say his body of work is at least the equal of Handel's.

[Bday Prang]

On 7/31/2024 at 9:30 PM, Social Media said:

Among the 170 guests were notable figures like Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and actor Hugh Grant, highlighting the grandeur of the occasion.

are they actually serious ?  Hugh Grant ?

[Bday Prang]

22 minutes ago, blazes said:

When Jagger composes something like Handel's Messiah, then and only then would I be ready to call him a "national treasure."

I think the phrase "national treasure" is intended to be used with a large dose of sarcasm,   I believe Diane Abbot is the latest member of the club.

[Bday Prang]

20 hours ago, mfd101 said:

All ridiculously over the top. The signal such extravagance sends is of totalitarian self-indulgence.

 

In a modern democracy you can entertain your guests appropriately at 1/20th of that price.

surely it could be done for free on zoom  or skype  no need to eat

[blazes]

11 minutes ago, roquefort said:

So it's your taste in music that makes him "riff-raff"? Many would say his body of work is at least the equal of Handel's.

 

Others would say differently...

[Bday Prang]

22 hours ago, RayC said:

 

Macron resigned from the Socialist Party in 2009. He's probably best described now as a right-of-centre liberal.

or a sad little man with a very old wife

[blazes]

1 minute ago, Bday Prang said:

or a sad little man with a very old wife

With a very odd wife, if truth were told...

[blazes]

7 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

I think the phrase "national treasure" is intended to be used with a large dose of sarcasm,   I believe Diane Abbot is the latest member of the club.

 

Anyone who believes (as seems to be the case here) that the likes of Jagger come within a million miles of Handel is not being sarcastic!

 

But at least Diane Abbot causes mirth every time she opens her gob and so is a kind of national treasure (just like Boris Johnson).