If there's one thing the royals know how to do well, it's marking an occasion. From lavish gala dinners to ceremonies upholding centuries-old traditions, events attended by - as well as those organized by - the British Royal Family are usually an elaborate affair.
With the Royal Family's lives very much in the public eye, we've managed to learn a few hosting tips along the way, from how to hold a teacup in public to, most recently, stylish presentation tips from Meghan Markle's Netflix documentary, With Love, Meghan.
Here are 32 hosting tips we've learned from the royals covering how to greet guests in a regal style at a dinner party, invitations, menus, and table manners. As well as some tips on how to elevate simple dishes and make welcome drinks feel personal and unique. In other words, everything you need to bear in mind while hosting a dinner party fit for royalty.
Hosting tips we've learned from the royals
Always be prepared
During her hit Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, Meghan Markle (or Sussex, as she corrects one guest in the show) says one of the most important parts of hosting is to ensure guests have something to snack on as soon as they arrive. "Never let a guest arrive without something to feed them on the table," she advises viewers while explaining her love of crudités platters.
Ensure your space is kept in great condition
Another of Meghan's clear priorities when she has guests round is to ensure she's seen to be on top of her housework, as well as her cooking skills.
She says when awaiting an LA chef for dinner in an episode of With Love, Meghan, "I need to impress this man! Not just with my doughnuts - with my tidiness, with my kitchen savvy, my cleanliness."
On that note, clean as you go
A quick cleaning session after each task makes cooking and baking a lot less of a messy job. Meghan explains in an episode of With Love, Meghan, "So, just as with cooking, I will always have like a garbage vessel.
"Everything stays organised, clean as you go," Meghan explained. "Lili has made a song out of it," she said, before singing herself: "Clean as you go – clean, clean, clean, clean."
Put some efforts into the invites
Lady Elizabeth Anson, a royal party planner who has worked with the British Royal Family (and is a first cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth II and a niece of the late Queen Mother), told the New York Times, "Lady Elizabeth uses high-end e-vite service Paperless Post.
But clarified that wherever possible, it's best to send a physical invite and put some time and effort into it, as cheap invites make people "imagine there’s going to be acidic wine and miserable food".
Look into your tea cup when sipping
Windsor and royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams has previously revealed exactly how the royals drink their tea, according to reporting from Reader's Digest. "The royals love their tea time, so it’s especially important that they hold their cups correctly," he explains.
"You pinch the handle with your thumb and index finger, so they meet in the middle rather than looping through the handle. Every time you drink, you look into the cup to show control and make sure the tea doesn’t go all over. Kate does this very well.”
Set the table with fresh flowers
Fresh flowers will always instantly brighten up a dinner space. Meghan revealed in an episode of With Love, Meghan, "First thing I do is see what colour I gravitate to, and then everything goes from there.
"Kind of think about it like an outfit, and once you pick the base look, you have to accessorise in a way that makes sense and matches."
Make it personal
"The Duchess of Cambridge is known to be an excellent hostess," Myka Meier, the founder of Beaumont Etiquette, told Woman's Day. "She loves to cook, host, and is known to personally serve her guests.
"While she may love to throw a party, Catherine also must be the perfect guest, as she attends many parties annually, personally and professionally, and spends long weekends with the royal family or Christmas lunch as a guest of the Queen at the Sandringham Estate."
Have one appetiser for every three guests
"If you have nine guests, you should serve a selection of at least three foods," explains Myka Meier, the founder of Beaumont Etiquette, when advising on royal hosting.
"Include a vegetarian option, and make them small enough to eat in one bite. Serve with cocktail napkins and offer toothpicks for oily foods. (Nobody wants to shake hands with greasy fingers.)"
Dress up shop-bought dips
The Duchess of Sussex explained in With Love, Meghan, that she doesn't always have time to cook dips from scratch. She advised viewers, "You don’t always have time to make hummus or a dip from scratch, and there are ways to make store-bought things look and taste even better. Put some olive oil in there – already better."
Opt for a one-pot dish if you're short on time
Meghan's one-pot pasta dish had mixed reviews online after With Love, Meghan aired, but her guest and long-time friend, make-up artist Daniel, had only good things to say about this easy-to-prepare dish. "This is literally cosy," Daniel said in appreciation. Meghan explained to viewers how she often opts for a one-pot dinner to save on prep and washing up.
Make sure everybody feels welcome
This is something that Kate Middleton is thought to be extremely good at. "As the host, your job is to speak to and engage each of your guests, making sure everyone is happy, comfortable, and feels welcome," says Myka Meier, the founder of Beaumont Etiquette.
Personalize your drinks
One of Meghan's dinner party tricks was to personalise her margaritas according to her guests' likes and dislikes. In With Love, Meghan, she made a margarita base and then different syrups for each guest, including a spicy mix for those who like a little heat with their cocktail. Personalized labels also add a thoughtful touch.
And don't forget extras for overnight guests
Don't forget the guest room, Meghan says! The Duchess of Sussex says in With Love, Meghan, "Whenever I have someone come and stay, one of my favourite things to do is prep the guest room.
"I think of two places for the guest experience: What’s at the side of the bed for them, that’s their good morning and good night moment? And what’s in the bathroom for them so they can have a beautiful soak at the end of the night?"
Presentation is everything
In With Love, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, focuses on presentation a lot, using simple adjustments to make her dishes look more attractive. For example, on her crudité platter, she artfully arranges peas still in their pods, prompting her guest to say, "Why doesn't anyone ever present peas like this?!"
Don't go over the top with the menu
There's no need to overcomplicate things. "A party with good table wine and good pasta or good sausages and mash can be just as much of a success as one with Krug, caviar, oysters and lobster,” party planner Lady Elizabeth told the New York Times. “It’s not about expensive ingredients. It’s about people."
On the couch, try the 'Duchess slant'
"Typically, ' the Duchess Slant' is used when a lady has to sit for an extended amount of time while keeping poise and posture," says Myka Meier, the founder of Beaumont Etiquette. This is seen as a more elegant way to sit on a sofa or chair, perhaps during a drinks reception before dinner, and you'll notice it's a familiar posture for all the royal women.
Hold the wine glass at the stem
Holding a glass by its stem rather than the bottom will prevent heating the liquid, and you'll often see the royals adhering to this rule. When serving, remember that wine should typically be poured only to just below the widest part of the glass, according to traditional rules of etiquette.
Edible flowers can be a delicate finishing touch
Another thing we learned from With Love, Meghan is that the Duchess really likes edible flowers - she sprinkles them everywhere. While the merits of doing so on one's own breakfast may be more questionable, when it comes to a finishing touch for a dessert on a fruity cocktail, they look stylish and sweet, particularly in the summer months.
Or you could try dehydrated citrus
Dehydrated fruits were also popular with the Duchess during the first season of With Love, Meghan. This timeless garnish will instantly elevate a drink and can be easily made at home using an air fryer or by slowly heating slices in the oven on a low setting. Try lemon, lime, grapefruit or orange, depending on the notes in the cocktail.
Opt for a modest and classic dress code
Windsor and royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams advises a modest dress code if you want to make like a royal at a dinner party. "The outfit has to be modest, elegant, and appropriate for the occasion, and it should never distract from the royal’s role or risk causing a scandal or public debate,” he told Reader's Digest.
If you need to leave the table, do it discreetly
This is a big one for the Royal Family - they're always extremely discreet. When royals need to use the restroom, they won't announce the details and instead will excuse themselves quietly. “When they get up, they cross their knife and fork so waitstaff know they’ll continue to eat when they come back,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams explains regarding how the royals break away from the table at a dinner event.
Introduce yourself with a firm handshake
A firm, assertive handshake is typical among members of the Royal Family. “The handshake should be firm. The thumb goes up, the fingers [go] together, shake for two pumps," advises royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams when it comes to greeting guests.
Try floral ice cubes
Another fun presentation hack picked up from With Love, Meghan, is creating signature ice cubes with flowers or fruit. However, she advises against using tap water.
"I've made this mistake. Do not just use tap water," she said. "Otherwise, the ice cubes just come out a little cloudy, and you want to see the flower."
Dress the bathroom accordingly
A royal bathroom will be well thought out, but it won't have candles or reed diffusers, Myka Meier, the founder of Beaumont Etiquette, explains. "The Duchess [Catherine] will also probably have lightly scented soap and paired hand cream. Many upper-class British homes prefer bar soap to liquid, so the Duchess may use that in her private quarters."
Shop seasonally
Food writer and critic (and the Duchess of Cornwall’s son!) Tom Parker Bowles previously told Harper’s Bazaar, "Everything I’ve learnt about the Queen’s preferences is from Mark Flanagan, the personal chef to the Queen. She likes seasonal ingredients - asparagus, lamb - and food from the estate, such as grouse or venison from Balmoral.
“She’ll have pheasants from Sandringham (in season from October to February), and she even has her own cheese made using milk from the cows at the royal dairy in Windsor.”
Consider a cake
A cake makes a beautiful centre piece if having guests over for a special occasion, and according to Meghan Markle in With Love, Meghan, a naked cake is best.
While baking in the Netflix show, she said about the cake she's made: "There’s something really satisfying about a cake that is bare on the outside but she is so beautiful on the inside and you just don’t know how good she is until you go deep and you get to know her better."
Don't forget a platter of fruit or veg
Duchess Meghan loves a fruit or veggie platter. "We have a veggie platter, crudites, every day in our house,' she said in the Netflix show, With Love, Meghan. "Even for our kids, I think what's been so nice and why they love eating vegetables is because it looks colourful and fun."
Make an effort with the menus
"When it comes to banquets, all the menus are traditionally written in French, even if they’re describing English dishes; that’s just the way it’s done," Tom Parker Bowles told Harper's Bazaar.
"Happily, the Queen speaks flawless French, and she has the most incredible memory, so she remembers what every single guest likes and doesn’t like."
Know your menu well
Make sure you're clear on what you're serving guests and feeling organised before a dinner party, if you want to host like a royal.
“She’s [Queen Elizabeth II] intricately involved in what’s on each menu, which is important if you’re hosting the president of France or Japan,” Tom Parker Bowles told Harper's Bazaar.
Don't let your guests do the dishes
"A good guest should always offer to help; however, an even better hostess would never accept," Myka Meier, the founder of Beaumont Etiquette, explains.
"Hosting is hard work, and your goal is to make sure your guests are relaxed and feel taken care of at all times. They should not be helping in the kitchen or cleaning."
It's all in the details
"It’s the little details," Meghan explains in the first episode of Love, Meghan. "The joy of hostessing for me is surprising people with moments that let them know I was really thinking of their whole experience from morning ‘til evening."
If it all gets too much, take a little nap
Our final tip comes from King Charles, who is said to occasionally enjoy a catnap during hosting. In the book What a Thing to Say to the Queen, author Thomas Blaike revealed a personal insight into dining with the Prince of Wales.
Thomas writes: 'The Prince of Wales often catnaps at dinner parties. Hostesses in the know continue talking, and nobody notices. Even two minutes 'out' will refresh him completely."
