King Charles and Queen Camilla Invite Stanley Tucci for Dinner at Their Country Home for a Special Reason

King Charles and Queen Camilla are celebrating their upcoming visit to Italy with a dinner fit for royalty — and attended by a star of the screen.

Italian-American actor and food expert Stanley Tucci “inspired” a special meal for King Charles and Queen Camilla at their country home of Highgrove House on Friday, Feb. 7. The dinner comes as the royal couple confirmed they will visit Italy and meet Pope Francis in early April.

The couple is expected to be in the country for a very special personal occasion: their 20th anniversary on April 9.

Despite King Charles, 76, still undergoing treatment for an as-yet-undisclosed cancer, he is forging ahead with his royal visits.

The trip to see the Pope also coincides with the Jubilee year for the Catholic Church, which is held every 25 years and, the palace says, the King and Queen will take part in the celebrations as “Pilgrims of Hope.” Although the King has met the Pope before, this is the first time Charles will have met the Pope since he became Supreme Governor of the Church of England when he became monarch in September 2022.

At the dinner in the King’s Highgrove Gardens, — also attended by Victoria and David Beckham, Helen Mirren and Donatella Versace, Charles and Camilla were joined by students and alumni from The King’s Foundation and representatives of the Slow Food and Fashion movements to celebrate their work in promoting sustainable means that support people and the planet.

The menu for the event was created by Chef Francesco Mazzei and “inspired by Italian-American actor Tucci,” as the palace puts it. Tucci hosts the popular Tucci – The Heart of Italy show which tours the country sampling and celebrating the wonderful food that originates there. Tucci will make a speech, while King Charles and the Italian ambassador to the U.K., His Excellency Inigo Lambertini, are also set to address the guests at the dinner.

The food is being created entirely from British ingredients and using Italian culinary traditions, fully embodying the principles of Slow Food. Drinks come from the internationally recognized Italian mixologist Alessandro Palazzi, who used Italian flavors and herbs foraged from Highgrove Gardens.

Kicking off the evening at King Charles’ country retreat in Gloucestershire, students and graduates from The King’s Foundation training programs — some of which, like the CHANEL Metiers d’art Embroidery Fellowship have been based at Highgrove — will show off some of their work in sustainable fashion and traditional heritage skills, such as millinery, embroidery, furniture making and fashion design.

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Earlier this week, King Charles sent words of support on World Cancer Day nearly exactly one year after Buckingham Palace announced that he was diagnosed with cancer and began treatment.

“This World Cancer Day, we are sending love to all those navigating a cancer diagnosis – as well as the incredible doctors, nurses, charities and families who work tirelessly to support them,” the message said with a heart hands emoji.

King Charles was first hospitalized for a planned operation to treat an enlarged prostate in January 2024. While in the hospital an as-yet-undisclosed cancer was discovered and treatment started on February 5. He canceled all face-to-face engagements and only returned to his more public royal duties in April, beginning with a visit to a cancer hospital in London with Camilla.