Macron’s $916k lobster banquet for King Charles blew hole in Elysee’s finances, account shows

The King's visit, which took place in September alongside Queen Camilla, also included about €40,000 ($73,299) on wine. Photo / Getty Images

President Emmanuel Macron blew a hole in his palace’s budget when he held a lavish state dinner of lobster and crab for King Charles last year, an annual audit has found.

The Elysee Palace spent close to €500,000 ($916,245) on the September visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla, which included about €40,000 ($73,299) on wine.

It was one of several gestures of Gallic opulence that tipped the palace into the red by €8.3 million.

In all, the Elysée Palace spent €125m ($229m) last year, the Cour des Comptes, France’s state auditor, recorded.

While that includes spending on Macron’s diplomatic and presidential duties as well as administration, personnel, security and estate management, among the most expensive engagements were the events for the King and Narendra Modi, India’s president.

French President, Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron welcome King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Photo / Getty Images

Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and actor Hugh Grant were among the 170-odd guests invited to Versailles Palace to mark the King’s visit, seen as a move by Macron to smooth over France-British relations since Brexit.

The luxurious banquet was held on the first night of King Charles’ three-day state visit to France and was hosted by Mr Macron and his wife, Brigitte.

At a cost of close over €475,000 ($870,494) – which included a catering bill of €165,000 ($302,382) - the feast was executed by a team of 45 chefs led by Yannick Alleno, Anne-Sophie Pic and French pastry chef Pierre Hermé, who all have Michelin stars.

The menu took three months of planning, with the French classic foie gras ditched upon royal request.

After a starter of blue lobster and crab, inspired by Louis XIV’s tastes, the guests tucked into Alleno’s poulet de Bresse with a cep gratin. For drinks, there were double magnums of chateau Mouton-Rothschild 2004 grand cru classe Pauillac, whose label was designed by Charles himself, and Pol Roger champagne.

Guests were seated around a 60m-long table decorated with locally sourced roses and hydrangeas in shades of pink, purple and white, and served on plates made by the famous Porcelaine de Sevres.

British singer Mick Jagger and his partner US choreographer Melanie Hamrick also attended the banquet. Photo / Getty Images

Palace of Versailles banquet: Three-course menu

Starter

Potted crab and blue lobster with a fresh almond “sail” consisting of an almond and sake panna cotta topped with a creamy crab cake and a lobster salpicon.

Seasoned with a dash of chartreuse mint gel and a cold white butter sauce, also flavoured with sake and almond.

The “sail” topped with melon brunoise and a lobster medallion.

Main course

Poached Bresse chicken, marinated in champagne with roasted corn extraction and porcini gratin.

Dessert

A compote of cooked and raw raspberries, a lychee and rose sorbet, and a raspberry sorbet, all on a very thin disc of macaroon and drizzled with a raspberry coulis.

Cheese

Comte matured for 30 months, chevre and Stichelton, accompanied by a mirabelle plum jelly.

King Charles and the French President drink after a toast. Photo / Getty Images

A royal source said afterwards that the King and Queen were “really delighted by the whole thing”.

When Modi visited in July, he was treated to a curation of the Louvre’s masterpieces by Macron himself and an equally sumptuous dinner, which all came to €400,000 ($733,048).

While France’s audit court conceded that the Palace was more parsimonious on events like “cocktails for less than 100 people”, it was mostly critical of the Palace’s extravagance.

It was critical of the huge waste of money caused by poor planning, listing €830,000 ($1.5m) lost in cancelling 12 apparently non-refundable trips.

Macron’s critics often blast him as “the president of the rich”, but the reaction to the palace’s finances has so far been muted.

“Honestly, I had doubts until the last moment but it was the right choice. It was magnificent. All of France’s history has been written inside these walls. It was fairytale-like,” said one diplomatic source afterwards.