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Queen Elizabeth II, pictured on a visit to Hull last month.
- The Queen gets fine dining almost any day she wants - but what does she like?
- Business Insider got the answer from the man making her lunch on Thursday.
- The menu includes salmon, lamb and orange tart, and was approved by the palace.
- The Queen will take lunch on board HMS Queen Elizabeth during a naval ceremony.
Queen Elizabeth II gets to go to a lot of banquets, state dinners, and other grand occasions where fine dining is de rigueur.
The tastes of the world's longest-serving head of state are the subject of extensive speculation - so we found out the truth behind what she favours from the man who will prepare her lunch today.
Business Insider was invited on board HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy's newest aircraft carrier, ahead of a royal visit taking place on Thursday at the naval base in Portsmouth, southern England.
On board we spoke to Petty Officer Dean Allen, who works as a chef on board and will be in charge of preparing the meal for the monarch when she visits.
Business Insider.
Petty Officer Dean Allen in the aft galley of HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Here are the dishes chosen for the three-course menu:
Starter:
Salmon tian with fennel and apple salad
Main course:
Double rib of lamb with broad bean cassoulet and lemon jus
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Rib of lamb, similar to this photo, is the centrepiece of the Queen's ideal meal.
Dessert:
Burnt orange tart with poached meringue and blackberry compote
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HMS Queen Elizabeth, seen returning to Portsmouth after sea trials.
Allen told us that his team submitted several menu ideas ahead of the event, then sent them to officials at Buckingham Palace who made the final call on what should be served.
The lunch, which is for the Queen and 31 other dignitaries, is part of a ceremony in which Her Majesty will formally accept HMS Queen Elizabeth as part of the Royal Navy, a process called "commissioning."
The ceremony will see the Queen visit the ship, inspect a naval guard of honour, and celebrate the beginning of the ship's naval career along with her crew and their families.