Want to Impress Guests? The Crown has the Answer: Dutch Bonnet Fold Napkins
In the sixth season of The Crown, Queen Elizabeth is faced with a question as old as time: Modernity? Or Antiquity? The popularity of her current Prime Minister, Tony Blair, a vibrant leader who welcomes contemporary tactics with glee, causes the Queen to wonder how the monarchy should modernize itself. Blair suggests getting rid of a few roles in the house, which he implies are superfluous, in order to appeal to the common English person.
So, the Queen gets to work. Her tactic is to interview each role, such as the Keeper of the King's Swans, and decide which hits the chopping block. Except, none of them do. After getting to know these characters, the monarch is hit with an epiphany: these roles are not excessive, they are a badge of pride. And that, sometimes, modernity is not the answer, but antiquity is.
Such may be argued when it comes to setting a table. An impressive table may be filled with kitschy items, but some traditional tactics will continue to draw guests' breaths away. In The Crown, the Queen's Royal Butler shows the monarch how it's done and prefaces his lesson with "few have mastered it."
According to The Beauty of The Fold (2012), napkin folding evolved during the European Baroque Era when pleated dresses and culinary extravagances were reaching their zenith. Like everything else, table settings and napkin folding became a way to telegram status. They were perfumed with rose water and sometimes, even, songbirds were hidden in the napkins to charm guests.
The Dutch Bonnet Napkin fold was among the styles created (bishop hat is another). As its name suggests, the end result mimics the bonnets worn by women of that time. As the scene in The Crown suggests, the napkin fold is complicated and, according to the University of Surrey consists of 8 steps. The fold is still used in on the State Banquet table of the British Royal family today for special occasions, such as the opening of the royal house to the public in the summer.
You Might Also Like
