The Duchess of Cambridge and Camilla leaving Clarence House
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leaving Clarence House for the Royal Dinner
and evening celebrations at Buckingham Palace, with Charles and Camilla
After a post-wedding lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace for 650 guests
held by Queen Elizabeth for the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the couple's inner circle, 300 of their most trusted friends and family, changed into their evening wear for the reception at the Palace, hosted by Prince Charles. Guests arrived at the pre-dinner drinks reception through a candle-lit walkway in the Palace courtyard, where bagpipers welcomed them. They were served with vintage pink champagne, peach bellinis and elderflower cocktails, amidst the stunning backdrop of the Palace’s State Apartments where guests sipping drinks feasted their eyes on paintings by the Old Masters including Velazquez, Rubens and Van Dyck.
Dom Perignon Rosé Vintage Champagne — a Royal Favourite
Shortly after 8pm, guests were ushered into the Palace’s Ballroom for dinner, complete with two huge thrones at one end of the room, and an organ at the other. “It looked absolutely stunning,” said one guest. “There must have been at least 30 round tables, with 10 people on each, decorated with beautiful white flowers and candles. When we had arrived earlier, we were each given a little envelope with our table name on it, and the tables had a personal touch too - they had clearly been named after places that were special to the couple and their friends.” Table names included “Lewa” - after Lewa Downs, the family home of Miss Craig, at the foot of Mount Kenya, where Prince William spent several months during his gap year and where he returned several times during his courtship of Miss Middleton.
Highgrove House near Tetbury, Charles's Country Home
Another table was “Tetbury” after the town in Gloucestershire which is close to Highgrove, Prince Charles’s country home, and several Welsh-themed table names in a nod to their current home in Anglesey where the Prince works as a search and rescue helicopter pilot. There was also, of course, a “St Andrews” table, after the Scottish university where the couple began their romance. As everyone present at dinner was deemed “equally important” to the couple, the tables were a mix of Royals, family members and friends of the couple.
Chef Anton Mosimann was hired to cater the Royal Wedding dinner
In keeping with the couple’s “organic and local” theme from the flowers and plants in Westminster Abbey to the canapes served at the lunch-time reception, guests at dinner were treated to a menu of British-food created by the leading chef Anton Mosimann, owner of the Mosimann’s private dining club in Belgravia where Prince William and his bride are regulars, and had lunch together the day before the Wedding! Chef Anton Mosimann of Mosimann's London has orchestrated numerous royal celebrations, including Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee and Prince Charles' 50th birthday. He also holds a Royal Warrant of Appointment from the Prince of Wales.
Anton Mosiman's restaurant in London's Begravia, where Kate and William
had lunch together the day before the Wedding
One of Anton Mossimann's cookbooks — Mosimann's Fresh — for £25.00
Dinner began with a starter of dressed crab from Wales, accompanied with mini crab timbale (mousse), crayfish and prawns, described by one guest as “exquisitely delicious”. A main course of lamb fillet from Highgrove “done three ways” followed, before guests were treated to a trio of mini-puddings of trifle, chocolate fondant and homemade ice-cream in brandy-snap baskets.
Mosimann Amuse-Bouche
Crab Mousse Timbale with Prawns
Highgrove Lamb Filet done Three-Ways
Homemade Iced Cream in Brandy Snap Basket
The meal, which lasted around two hours, was served with wines, thought to be from the Buckingham Palace and Clarence House cellars, described by another guest as “stunningly good” - a white Meursault Burgundy and Pomerol claret.
When the petit-fours and coffee had been served, it was time for the speeches.
White Meursault Burgundy
Pomerol Claret
Just as Prince William had pledged that his late mother should share “in all the fun and excitement” of his engagement by giving his bride the ring she once wore, so the sons of Diana, Princess of Wales made sure that she was not forgotten in the royal wedding celebrations. Prince William and his best man, Prince Harry, both paid tribute to their mother in their speeches at the intimate evening reception on Friday night, telling their closest friends and family “how much she would have liked to have been here” as Prince William married Kate Middleton.
The emotional moments when both Princes remembered their late mother in their respective speeches followed an evening reception at Buckingham Palace, described by one guest as “the most magical party imaginable”. There were fireworks, a live band led by the pop star Ellie Goulding, and the Palace’s magnificent Throne Room was transformed into a “massive nightclub”. The room, which had earlier been the setting for the formal Royal wedding photographs, now had a stage, a dance floor and a cocktail bar serving champagne, spirits and mojito cocktails.
The Champagne flowed
Guests were also served Mojitos during the party
"The huge chandelier in the Throne Room had been cleverly covered with a kind of curtain or cylinder, which had laser and strobe lights on it for the dance floor," said a guest. "There was a huge bar in the middle of the room, lots of sofas for everyone to lounge on when they weren't on the dance floor, and a stage for the band." But this was not your average wedding band — guests were treated to a two-hour set by Ellie Goulding, a BritAward winning singer, and her band, who are believed to have serenaded the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with her hit song Starry-Eyed as for the first dance. Goulding then performed a mixture of her own songs, popular "1960s rock and roll hits" and several cover versions, including a cover of Your Song by Sir Elton John, who was an earlier wedding guest at Westminster Abbey.
BritAward Winning Singer, Ellie Goulding
At around 1:30am, DJs took over, playing a range of chart hits including Mr. Brightside by The Killers, followed by club and rave music, and the booming bass could be heard by passersby outside the palace well into the early hours. Sixties music was played again later to "wind guests down." "The bride and groom looked so happy all the way through that it was infectious," said a guest. "They danced together non-stop, as did Harry, Camilla, and everyone. Prince Charles, Camilla and the Middletons looked absolutely delighted the whole way through." For "party survivors" still standing at 6am the next morning, Harry graciously offered a second royal wedding breakfast, by asking caterers to prepare 'bacon butties', along with 'fry-ups — a classic full English breakfast consisting of eggs, bacon, sausages, roasted tomatoes, baked beans, and fried bread. Sounds like the perfect hangover cure.
The essentially English 'Bacon Butty'
The official "last dance" of the evening was She Loves You by The Beatles at around 2:30am, although many guests continued to party at the palace far into the early hours. Understandably weary, Prince Harry departed without bow-tie or jacket, like many of the guests, with a group that included the bride's brother James Middleton. They headed to Clarence House in a minibus — with Prince Harry holding what appeared to be the bus microphone — quite possibly for one of his famous after-parties!
Prince Harry's Bacon 'Butty'
Serves 1
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
6 slices peameal bacon
1 crusty round roll, halved and lightly toasted
2 tbsp HP Sauce
Heat 1 tbsp. butter in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, turning once, until browned and crispy, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, spread remaining butter on top and bottom of roll. Place bacon on bottom half and top with HP Sauce. Cover with roll top. Perfect fare for the wee hours of the morning after a night out on the town.
Will and Kate's Peach Bellini
Serves 6
2 yellow peaches, peeled and stones removed, chopped
3 tbsp sugar syrup
1 bottle champagne (or prosecco)
1 tbsp peach liqueur (optional)
Chill six champagne flutes in the freezer for 20 minutes. Place the chopped peaches into a blender with the sugar syrup and a splash of the champagne. Blend until smooth, adjusting the flavour with more sugar syrup if needed. Add the peach liqueur, if using. Pour peach mixture into a chilled jug and add the rest of the Prosecco. Stir to mix well. Pour the peach bellini into the chilled glasses and serve immediately, but don't forget to toast the happy couple!
Crack Baby Cocktail
Serves 10-12
Courtesy of Boujis, London
Ice
1 litre passionfruit juice
1/2 bottle vodka
1 small container of strawberries
10 oz. Chambord
10 oz. Chambord
1 bottle of champagne (or prosecco)
Mix the ice, passionfruit juice, vodka, chopped strawberries and Chambord in a blender and blend well. In a martini glass, pour half the mixture from the blender and half champagne and lightly stir. Serve chilled.
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