Inside the Royal Tea: Embassy Chef Races to Make Thousands of Sandwiches for King Charles’ U.S. Welcome

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Royals (1 / 1) 27.04.2026 23:04 / Julia

The British Embassy kitchen has a royal-sized challenge: prepare afternoon tea for King Charles and Queen Camilla and around 650 guests — the team is racing to assemble thousands of sandwiches and bake fresh scones. Read on to discover the full story!

Behind the Scenes

A video on the British Embassy Washington X account shows head chef Craig Harnden and his crew preparing for the April 27 event. Harnden says the kitchen will produce roughly 2,500 to 3,000 sandwiches to serve the crowd during the royals' first day in the U.S.

Four Classic Fillings

The menu includes four sandwich types: Scottish salmon with lemon butter on brown bread; roast beef with horseradish, using the first imports of British beef for the occasion; egg mayonnaise made with nicely boiled eggs, a little mayo, salt and pepper; and a simple cucumber sandwich where the cucumbers are lightly pickled for sweetness and acidity.