King Charles Dines With 84 Guests in Antigua
The royal state dinner during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting featured locally sourced Caribbean food and drink.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Food and Drink
King Charles and Queen Camilla attended a formal state dinner for 84 guests in Antigua during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The menu highlighted locally grown avocados, freshly caught Mahi Mahi and Antiguan black pineapple.
Why it matters
The dinner showcased regional Caribbean produce and craft at a major Commonwealth gathering. The event took place as the King addressed delegates on the transatlantic slave trade without offering an apology.
The dinner hosted 84 guests, with the menu built around locally grown and caught ingredients. Figures on production volumes or sourcing shares for the featured produce were not provided.
The players
King Charles III
The British monarch attended the Commonwealth state dinner in Antigua and addressed delegates during the summit.
Queen Camilla
The Queen Consort accompanied the King to the state dinner, where she was seated at a nearby table.
The details
Guests were offered a 'The Commonwealth 56' cocktail, a French 75 variant made with Antilles Stillhouse Pink Sorrel Hibiscus Gin and English sparkling wine. Dessert was a caramelised tarte tatin centred on Antiguan black pineapple, served alongside madras cloth napkins and locally picked heliconias and ginger lilies.
Timeline
Monday: King Charles visited Agave Gardens and met Louise Edwards.
Tuesday: King Charles addressed CHOGM delegates on the slave trade.
Tuesday evening: State dinner held for CHOGM guests in Antigua.
Wednesday: The King and Queen are scheduled to fly back to London.
Season Trajectory
The state dinner sits within the CHOGM programme, where ceremonial hospitality accompanies the summit's formal agenda. Its menu of regional produce reflects the Commonwealth's Caribbean host-nation focus this year.
Readers following Commonwealth events can track royal engagements through official coverage as the King and Queen return to London. The dinner itself was a private invitation event, so the menu is available only through published reporting.
The takeaway
Regional ingredients can carry a state occasion's story, as the Antiguan pineapple and local seafood on this menu show. Paying attention to where food is sourced reveals how hospitality reflects a host nation's identity.
Further reading
Explore more Food and Drink coverage to see how regional ingredients shape high-profile dining.
