The opulent banquet, held in September at the Palace of Versailles, was part of a diplomatic visit aimed at strengthening ties between London and Paris.

The audit report revealed the total expenditure for the dinner was €474,851, with €166,193 (c. £140,000) allocated for catering and €42,515 (c. £36,000) for drinks.

Over 150 guests attended, enjoying a menu featuring lobster, crab, French poultry marinated in champagne, and a gratin of French ceps. The meal was complemented by vintage wines and champagnes, with a dessert of French macaron, lychee and rose sorbet, and raspberry compote.

During the dinner, King Charles praised President Macron, stating, “your generosity of spirit brings to mind how my family and I were so greatly moved by the tributes paid in France to my mother, the late queen”. In his toast, Macron remarked, “despite Brexit, and because our ties are so old, I know that we will continue to write together part of our continent’s history”, The Guardian reports.

The report also noted significant spending on a dinner for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Louvre Museum, which cost €412,366 (c. £348,000), with €172,922 (c. £146,000) spent on catering and €36,447 (c. £31,000) on drinks.

Overall, the audit warned of the high expenditure levels within the presidential office, which totalled €125.5 million (c. £106m) for 2023, resulting in a deficit of €8.3m (c. £7m). The audit court emphasised the need for “significant efforts” from 2024 onwards to “restore and maintain the financial stability of the presidency”.