Royal Family’s dinner menu for Jubilee leaves fans baffled

The Royal Family has shared a photo of the menu from King George V's Silver Jubilee in 1935 ahead of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Royal Family’s dinner menu for Jubilee leaves fans baffled
(Image credit: Getty)

The Royal Family has caused quite the stir after sharing the dinner menu for the Silver Jubilee of the Queen's grandfather, King George V. 


The Royal Family has shared a photo of the menu from King George V's Silver Jubilee banquet ahead of Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee - and let's just say, its options haven't gone down well with its modern followers.

The grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed a State Dinner at Buckingham Palace on 9 May 1935 in celebration of his 25-year-long reign, just one year before his death at the age of 70. Guests at the lavish meal were offered an à-la-carte menu with some fairly unorthodox dishes by today's standards, as well as an impromptu opportunity to brush up on their foreign vocab.

Written entirely in French, the selection included rich main courses like Médaillons de Saumon Champenoise (salmon cooked with champagne) and Côtelettes d'Agneau aux Petits Pois Normande (lamb chops with Normandy peas), as well as delicious desserts like Soufflé Glacés (ice cream soufflé) and Corbeilles de friandises (candy baskets). 

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Perhaps its most controversial option, however, was its reptilian-infused starter,  Tortue Claire. Also known as ‘turtle soup’, the meat-based delicacy became popular in England in the 1750s and was famously served at upper-class dinners and parties. However, its availability declined rapidly over the next 150 years because of overfishing, and by the 1930s, it was only eaten on special occasions by extremely wealthy people, such as the Royal Family. 

Turtle soup

Turtle soup was served at King George V's Silver Jubilee 

(Image credit: Getty)

Its inclusion on the menu has caused quite the stir with modern royal fans, many of whom have expressed disgust at the idea of eating turtle flesh. 

“I don’t think I could swallow the Clear Turtle soup,” said an impressed person on Twitter. 

One follower said that they’d ‘eat all’ of the dishes on the menu, ‘except for the tortue clair,' while another expressed concern for the adorable sea animals. “It contains turtle meat? I hope it is no longer served.” 

Fortunately, it’s highly unlikely that any turtles will be harmed in the making of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022. Eating soup made from sea turtles is highly controversial in England today, and if the particular type you’re consuming is on the list of endangered turtles, it’s flat-out illegal.

What will be served on the Queen’s State Dinner remains to be seen, but you can rest assured that the scaly green creatures won’t be making an appearance. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.