Setting a Table for the King

His Majesty's cover for dinner at the French Embassy in 1939 – French flatware is traditionally set facing down on the table and thus monogrammed on the backs of the handles.

This Table, Set For the King, Starts U.S. Experts Talking

Etiquette authorities, trying to determine how tables should be set for wining and and dining royalty when King George XI and Queen Elizabeth visit the United States in June, are interested in this picture. It shows the cover set for His Majesty at dinner given recently in the French embassy in London. Its especial interest is that it isn't exactly what American authorities had in mind.

The glasses, the turned-down-silver and an ash tray caused most comment. Eyebrows weren’t raised at the number of glasses– but at their placing. It’s an old American custom to put glasses above and to the right of the knife– not above the service plate.

At the dinner given by President M. Lebrun of France, and Mme. Lebrun, however, the water goblet was placed to the left front, near the entree fork. Behind it came the champagne glass. Right front was the first wine glass, on which His Majesty’s place card was laid– so he would not have to bend over to read it. Other glasses were two more for white wine, one for red wine, and another, in the center, for the Romanee-Conti, famed Burgundy vintage of which 200 bottles were sent from Paris especially for this dinner.

The turned-down silver was a surprise in this country. Never, said one authority, is silver turned down. Glasses, perhaps– they might collect a little dust. A waiter will turn them up before serving starts. But the choicely-patterned silver? It can’t happen here.

The ash tray is pointed out some-what gleefully. It’s a long-needed concession smokers, one authority explains. He points out that until a few years ago ash trays would have appeared only at the end of the meal.– By Joan Durham, AP Feature Service Writer, May 8, 1939

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia