What does Britain’s royal couple bring to a potluck?
On Thursday, King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at a block party in Front Royal, Va., with coronation quiche (a spinach, broad bean and tarragon quiche created for the king), some Victoria sponge (known in country as the queen of cakes) and honey from the couple’s royal hives.
The event — complete with cheerleaders, classic British and American cars, and a marching band playing the U.K. national anthem — was one of the last stops on the couple’s four-day visit to the United States to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Billed as a potluck block party, it was in reality a highly choreographed photo opportunity by the British embassy in Washington and Buckingham Palace designed to highlight the “shared heritage and people-to-people bonds” between Britain and America, according to the embassy’s press release.
(Earlier, the embassy’s guidance to British reporters explained that a potluck is a “North American tradition where people come together bringing dishes to create a shared community meal.”)
The royal couple’s American excursion started with more serious diplomacy, including an Oval Office meeting between the king and President Trump and the king’s speech to a joint meeting of Congress. Among the messages delivered by the king were some subtle rebukes to Mr. Trump’s approach to governing.
The president did not appear to take much offense, however. On Thursday, he announced that he would be lifting tariffs on Scottish whisky, saying he was doing so in honor of the king and queen. A palace spokesman said later that the king would be “raising a dram to the president’s thoughtfulness and generous hospitality.”
The rest of Charles’ first trip to the colonies as Britain’s monarch has been more light hearted.
In New York City, the king fed chickens at an urban farm in Harlem while the queen celebrated Winnie the Pooh at the New York Public Library. Thursday afternoon, the king also watched a Junior Ranger swearing-in ceremony at Shenandoah National Park and spoke with leaders of the Monacan Indian Nation.
But it was the block party that may have been the most stereotypically American.
After arriving at the party, the royal couple was greeted by Abigail Spanberger, the governor of Virginia, and Front Royal’s Little League team while members of the public waved flags from the United States and Britain.
They walked past food stalls like one operated by the Apple House, a local, family-owned business, and another called the Honeystead, where owner Kaylee Richardson said she had “brought dark honey and light honey because everyone has their preference.”
Queen Camilla patted a lamb who was born on Wednesday and named Upperville Charles, after the king. She described the lamb as “very sweet.”
As for the potluck, the royal couple did not partake. But the queen purchased cookies and popcorn from the Scouts for $15.
Michael D. Shear is the chief U.K. correspondent for The New York Times, covering British politics and culture and diplomacy around the world.
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