AS THOUGH cocking a snook at Paris, the favourites to win the Games, the Queen last night eschewed champagne and entertained members of the International Olympic Committee at Buckingham Palace with the finest Sussex sparkling wine.
As a grand finale to the IOC inspectors’ visit to London to assess the capital’s bid for the 2012 Games, the Queen pulled out all the stops and gave them all the trimmings of a state banquet. Even the menu was printed in English rather than the usual palace French.
Although the main course was breast of duck, palace chefs had prepared halal chicken for the several Muslim members of the IOC delegation.
“The Queen has taken a close personal interest in this dinner,” a palace spokeswoman said. “With