How to make your Christmas dinner like a Royal Family state banquet

If you’re ahead of the game and already thinking about Christmas dinner plans, you could try some inspiration from the Royals. For a dinner table with an upper-class twist, why not take note of some rules the Royal Family follow?

Of course, not all of them — there are certain aspects of a Royal event that are just impractical for the average Brit — but some of them are more than achievable. In addition to their annual Christmas Day lunch, the Royal Family enjoys a black tie dinner on Christmas Eve where they adhere to the same rules as a state banquet. These rules mean the tables have an exact layout and some specific rules to ensure the proper level of decorum.

Furniture expert James Pilling from dining table retailer My Furniture said: “The Royals share so many of their festive traditions and, if anyone knows how to throw a dinner party it’s them.

“While state banquets have their own set of rules, general etiquette rules are a good guide people can follow at home if they’re aiming for a classy Christmas table setting plan this year.”

Table settings for a state banquet includes each place setting being put exactly 18 inches apart, and chairs set exactly 27 inches from the table.

Every person at the banquet will have six glasses in front of them — one each for water, red wine, white wine, a champagne toast, dessert wine, and port.

All napkins are folded in the Dutch bonnet style and every single fork, spoon, knife and glass are polished and arranged by staff over a matter of days to ensure everything is absolutely perfect. 

If you want to mimic this grandeur at home, there are ways to pare it down.

While six glasses per person is a little excessive, three offers a similar feel. One glass each for water wine and dessert will offer guests a taste of luxury. Make sure all your dinner ware and glasses are polished (especially if the dishwasher is prone to leaving water marks).

You can even measure the space between place settings — of course it doesn’t have to be as spacious as the Royals — just nice and even.

If you can’t set your chairs the full 27 inches from the table, it’s recommended to leave at least 36 inches of open space between the edge of your dining table and the nearest wall or piece of furniture to allow adequate room for guests to move around.

While it won’t be a state banquet, following these rules can be a great way of elevating your Christmas lunch and great practice for if you ever do get to meet the King.