Queen’s banquet for Xi Jinping: Balmoral venison and James Bond theme song from 'The Spy Who Loved Me'
Chinese president treated to English wine and live music programme at dinner hosted by Queen, with prime minister and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Watch: Queen Elizabeth hosts glittering state banquet for China's Xi Jinping
Venison from the Queen’s Balmoral estate formed the main course at a banquet hosted by the Queen for the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, at Buckingham Palace, washed down with a choice of wines headed by a sparkling English variety.
The Chinese president, who has been known to burnish his populist credentials at home during simple dumpling meals at communal tables in Beijing workers’ restaurants, sat down to something entirely different during the palace meal hosted by the Queen.
Guests, including David Cameron, George Osborne and senior royals such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke of York and the Princess Royal, dined on a menu that started with West Coast turbot and lobster mousse before tucking into a roasted loin of Balmoral venison in a madeira and truffle sauce.
On the side were braised red cabbage, cocotte potatoes and timbale of celeriac and butternut squash.
