Meat off the menu as king hosts state visit adapted for Ramadan

 The King has hosted the first state visit modified for Ramadan, serving non-alcoholic cocktails, canapes to break the fast and a designated prayer room, out of respect for his Muslim guests.

As Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president of Nigeria, visited Windsor Castle, the King and his team made history with a banquet menu based around vegetables and fish, avoiding the issue of halal meat, and toasts made with fruit juice.

A formal lunch with the Royal family, normally a staple of a state visit, was not held, in favour of a private audience with the King, an acknowledgement of the president’s Muslim faith and his daytime fasting.

Canapes were served before the evening banquet for the first time, allowing Muslim guests to eat something after dark as they waited until 9pm for the full meal.

It is the first time a Muslim leader has travelled on a state visit to Britain during Ramadan since 1928 and the time of George V.

The King honoured the effort in his speech.

“We are most grateful to you for travelling during this holy month, which, I acknowledge, is no small sacrifice,” he said. “And so it is my particular pleasure to wish you, Mr President, peace, blessings, and an abundance of joy. Ramadan Mubarak!”

The Royal family turned out in force to celebrate their Nigerian visitors, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, who wore the Lover’s Knot tiara, earrings once owned by Queen Elizabeth II, and a dress by Singaporean designer Andrew Gn in green – the predominant colour of the Nigerian flag.

Queen Camilla wore a cream embroidered gown by Fiona Clare, a sapphire and diamond tiara with matching earrings from the late Queen, and a diamond serpent necklace of her own.

The Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester also attended.

The King, who quoted several Nigerian idioms during his speech, signed off by wishing the president “and the millions of Muslims in our countries, Eid Mubarak”.

In his final toast, he said “Naija No dey Carry Last”, meaning “Nigerians never come last”.

The delighted president, sitting beside the King and looking up at him, burst into laughter and applauded.

A new tradition of creating a bespoke cocktail for a state visit was modified to a non-alcoholic version: a “Crimson Bloom”, inspired by the Nigerian classic Chapman cocktail.

The original version is made from ingredients including Fanta, Sprite, grenadine and cucumber. The royal version was made from zobo, made from dried hibiscus leaves, English rose soda, ginger syrup, lemon and a “hint of spice”.

The President used water for his toast. Guests who wished to drink alcohol were offered the usual wine and port choices, including English sparkling wine for toasts.

The Princess of Wales has given up alcohol since her cancer diagnosis, she revealed on a public engagement last week.

Muslim guests were able to access a prayer room in Windsor Castle, close to the banquet hall.

The King’s banquet speech, customarily a mixture of serious diplomacy and jokes, included the “Yoruba wisdom” of “rain does not fall on one roof alone”, the Hausa saying “when the music changes, so does the dance” and the Igbo “knowledge is never complete, two heads are better than one”.

Speaking of a “tea and jollof” reception he hosted at St James’s Palace last week, the King entered the famous debate over which country is home to the best rice dish: “I was firmly assured that the jollof was only the best: Nigerian, of course... or perhaps Ghanaian or Senegalese. Diplomatically, I cannot remember.”

He also made a serious reference to the issue of the slave trade.

“The many dynamic connections between our two nations have deep roots and yet I do not pretend that those roots are without a shadow,” he said.

“There are chapters in our shared history that I know have left some painful remarks. I do not seek to offer words that dissolve the past, for no words can.

“But I do believe, as I know you believe, Mr President, that history is not merely a record of what was done to us – it is a lesson in how we go forward together to continue building a future rooted in hope and growth for all, and worthy of those who bore the pains of the past.”

Later this year, he is expected to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, where the issue of reparations will likely be discussed.

The first full day of the state visit began with an official welcome from the Prince and Princess of Wales, who escorted the president and first lady from their hotel to a central Windsor dais where the King and Queen were waiting.

There were national anthems and a carriage ride through the streets, where members of the Nigerian diaspora had gathered alongside curious tourists and locals to catch sight of the delegation.

In the quadrangle of Windsor Castle, the president inspected the troops before the delegations moved inside to view items from the Royal Collection related to Nigeria.

Queen Camilla and Mrs Tinubu, who is a Christian, had lunch while the King and the president met for a separate audience.

In the afternoon, there was a reception for “interfaith dialogue”.

It is the first springtime state visit at Windsor Castle, after the Royal family moved from hosting at Buckingham Palace while it is under refurbishment.

The banquet table in St George’s Hall was decorated with small vases of spring flowers, including tulips, narcissus and pots of primrose.

Among the 160 guests were athlete Christine Ohuruogu, rugby player Maro Itoje, singer Tiwa Savage, author Sir Ben Okri, footballer Eniola Aluko, broadcaster Ade Adepitan and artist Yinka Shonibare.

The Princess of Wales wore an outfit by British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker during the day.

The president and first lady will sleep at Windsor Castle after the banquet before an official farewell on Thursday morning.

“The friendship between our countries,” the King said in his speech, is a partnership of equals that has brought us both enormous benefits.

“It has been described to me as a deeply spiritual connection – beyond churches and mosques – a deep bond through which we have strengthened our shared security, ensured our economies are more prosperous, and empowered each other to believe in a more hopeful future.”