A dish fit for the King

The crowning of a British monarch calls for an official dish. In 1953, for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, it was a curry and mayonnaise chicken dish. This time around, King Charles III has selected a quiche - the principle of the shareable tart being to inspire the public to join in a celebratory lunch.

It may sound fairly simple, but as Ruth Alexander discovers in this programme, a lot lies behind the commemorative dish.

Ruth asks why the new King wants his crowning moment to be marked with home-baking, what opportunities royal-inspired food offers, and what the monarch’s culinary choice might tell us about this moment in time.

She visits a farm shop in Warwickshire, in the British Midlands, where owner Michelle Edkins has been baking and serving up a spread of dishes to mark the big occasion.

Muhammed Ali, the owner of an Indian restaurant in the neighbouring county of Staffordshire, tells Ruth about a new Coronation-themed curry he’s put on his menu to capture the moment.

Food historian, Dr Rachel Rich, puts the official quiche into historical context.

And Dame Prue Leith, South African-British celebrity cook and judge, gives her verdict on the dish and considers whether its simplicity and choice of ingredients signal something about the new monarch.

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(Picture: King Charles III having tea. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

Producer: Elisabeth Mahy