The coronation of King Carlos III will take place in a few days and some of the last preparations are already underway. After the death of Elizabeth II, the longest-lived monarch in the history of England, her son is in charge of succeeding her to the throne. More than 70 years have passed since the late queen’s coronation and it seems that, as has happened in recent months, Carlos wants to mark his own profile. The star dish to celebrate the event is a simple spinach quiche, although the official recipe book includes a wide variety of dishes.
Buckingham Palace these days is busier than usual, with people from here to there to finalize all the details of the great day of Carlos III and the queen consort, Camila Parker. Last week, more than 6,000 members of the armed forces and their horses gathered at Westminster Abbey to rehearse the 1.2-mile ride that will take place on May 6. The monarch himself has had a scale model of the church stage built, so that he can rehearse the speech and staging of his coronation from the palace.
The last time a coronation ceremony was held was in 1953, when Elizabeth II came to the throne. 70 years have passed and Carlos III, who has always wanted to be more modern and close to the public, has wanted to set his own style. An official playlist has been published on Spotify for the day of the Coronation, which, in addition to some classics by Queen, David Bowie or the Spice Girls, includes current songs by Harry Styles or Ed Sheeran. There’s even a fun nod to the King of Years theme
He has also wanted to leave his mark on the menu. Instead of the Coronation Chicken created by Le Cordon Bleu for the late Queen’s celebratory meal in 1953, the current royal family has wanted to serve a much simpler recipe as their official dish: Coronation Quiche. It is, as reported by the Royal House, “a deep quiche with a crunchy and light dough and delicate flavors of spinach, broad beans and fresh tarragon”. Personally chosen by Their Majesties, they recommend accompanying it with boiled potatoes or a simple salad and it can be enjoyed both hot and cold.
The concoction, created by royal chef Mark Flanagan, has been shared online so that anyone who wants to celebrate the coronation — but hasn’t gotten an invite to the official ceremonies — can enjoy royal dishes at home. The expectation around the event is such that supermarkets and stores in England have been filled in recent days with all kinds of products with the image of Carlos, the flag or the crown.
The king’s coronation meal choice came as no surprise to a former crown chef. “It’s no surprise Carlos III chose quiche Lorraine to celebrate his big day,” Darren McGrady tweeted. “His mother, the queen, loved chocolate, but the king likes everything with eggs and cheese better,” he added. However, the recipe has not equally enthused everyone. A food writer for The Guardian, Felicity Cloake, called it a “less original and distinctive” dish.
The quiche will not be the only preparation, obviously, and Buckingham Palace has shared other official recipes so that everyone can enjoy the coronation dishes at home. Among some of them is the rack of lamb roasted with Asian marinade, a recipe that represents “the hallmark of a modern UK” and that mixes flavors of East and West.
Although there will be no official banquet, it is likely that at lunch the kings will eat other traditional dishes such as spiced aubergines, or some more innovative ones such as the curious shrimp tacos with pineapple sauce, a recipe by British television presenter Gregg Wallace, which have been Shared on your website. For those with a sweet tooth, the dessert that has become popular is a strawberry and ginger trifle (a traditional British cake that has several layers of custard and other ingredients). A whole repertoire that aims to involve the citizens of the country in the celebration of the great day of Carlos III and Camila, the queen consort.