State dinner

State dinners in different countries follow different rules and are governed by different protocols.

United States

In the United States, a state dinner is a formal dinner held for a foreign head of state, such as a king, queen or president, or head of government, hosted by the president of the United States and held at the White House, his official home. Similar dinners for very important people in nations, such as a prince or princess, is instead called a "private dinner", the difference being that the government does not pay for them. All these are governed by strict diplomatic protocol, and a U.S. State Department protocol officer, headed by the chief of protocol, supervises to make sure that no diplomatic gaffes occur.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, state dinners are usually hosted by the head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II. Traditionally all state dinners were held at Buckingham Palace because of its proximity to London. However, in recent years, banquets are more often held at Windsor Castle in Berkshire. Organisation of the state dinner usually falls to the Master of the Household with a seating plan confirmed both by the Queen and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. State dinners are usually held for visiting heads of state and are very elaborate; Royal Protocol is generally very strict but this has been played down over recent years. All speeches that are read are again checked and confirmed by the Foreign office, and amended. Gifts are exchanged by both parties.

ee also

*State visit

References

*cite book|last=Schifando|first=Peter|coauthors=J. Jonathan Joseph|title=Entertaining at the White House with Nancy Reagan|date=2007|publisher=William Morrow|location=New York|isbn=9780061350122