King Charles BANS ‘torture in a tin’ foie gras from ALL royal residences, animal rights group Peta says
- King Charles has banned controversial pâté foie gras from the royal dinner table
- Comes after he told chefs not to use it at his royal residences as Prince of Wales
- MP described it as ‘real leadership from the King’ and said Parliament should act
- Seen as a delicacy by some, pâté involves force-feeding ducks until livers burst
King Charles has banned foie gras, the controversial pâté described by animal rights campaigners as ‘torture in a tin’, from the royal dinner table, Peta has been told.
A long-standing detractor of the French delicacy, the King removed the food from his royal residences as Prince of Wales as far back as 2008, when he instructed Clarence House chefs not to use it.
While gastronomes laud the expensive product’s rich flavour, many see its production – which involves force-feeding ducks or geese until their livers burst – as cruel.
King Charles has banned foie gras, the controversial pâté described by animal rights campaigners as ‘torture in a tin’, from the royal dinner table, Peta has been told (pictured on Friday)
While gastronomes laud the expensive product’s rich flavour, many see its production – which involves force-feeding ducks or geese until their livers burst – as cruel
Peta activists outside the Whitehouse in Washington DC in 2015 thanking the Royal for his stance on the controversial food
Announcing the news yesterday, Peta said it would be sending the King a hamper of ‘faux gras’ made by vegan chef Alexis Gauthier, as a gesture of gratitude.
A Peta spokeswoman said: ‘As Prince of Wales, King Charles removed foie gras – a despicable product for which ducks and geese are force-fed until their livers swell up to 10 times their natural size before the animals are slaughtered – from his royal residences.
‘Now, Peta has received confirmation that His Majesty’s compassionate policy extends to Buckingham Palace and all other royal residences.’
Foie gras: Culinary delight or just plain cruel?
Foie gras is made of duck or goose liver.
By French law, it is defined as the liver of a duck fattened by force feeding corn. Outside France it is sometimes produced using natural feeding.
The technique, known as gavage, dates back as far as 2500 BC when the ancient Egyptians kept birds for food and deliberately fattened them through force feeding.
By French law, foie gras is defined as the liver of a duck fattened by force-fed corn
France is the largest producer and consumer of foie gras but it is made and consumed around the world – especially in Europe, America and China.
In France, foie gras comes in various forms such as whole foie gras which is made of one or two whole liver lobes, or as pieces of livers mixed together.
Elisa Allen, Peta vice president, said: ‘Peta encourages everyone to follow the King’s lead and leave foie gras off the menu this Christmas and beyond.’
The DUP MP for East Antrim, Sammy Wilson tweeted: ‘Real leadership from the King. The sale and importation of Foie Gras should be banned in the UK. It’s time for Parliament to act.’
The Animal Welfare Party described the move as ‘progress for animal rights’ writing that ‘foie gras has no place in compassionate society & that its sale & import into the UK must be banned’.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment but it is understood the policy has been in place at the palace for a number of years.
Peta is also campaigning for the King to ditch ermine fur robes for his coronation next year and to use animal-friendly faux fur instead.
Last year, the royal grocer Fortnum & Mason announced that it would no longer stock foie gras following a long-running campiagn by celebrities including Joanna Lumley, Twiggy and Ricky Gervais.
Foie Gras can be imported and sold in the UK, but its production is banned.
France is by far the largest producer and consumer of the delicacy.
The UK had proposed to prohibit its importation after Brexit, but these plans are now expected to be shelved.
Four years ago, the then-Environment Secretary George Eustice MP suggested that an import ban could come into place once the UK had fully left the EU’s single market.
Vegetarian Tory MP Henry Smith urged him to act, describing foie gras as ‘cruel to produce’ and ‘unhealthy to eat’.
He added: ‘Now our future relationship with the EU has been established, the Government is considering further steps it could take in relation to foie gras.’
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said at the time that it had always been clear that foie gras production ‘raises serious concerns’.
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