Foie gras is banished from table of Prince

[Guest guest]

The Prince of Wales has risked angering the French by banning the

delicacy foie gras from royal menus.

 

The Prince has instructed chefs at all of his royal residences to

stop serving the dish.

 

He will also reconsidering the royal warrant at one of his favourite

shops - the House of Cheese in Tetbury, Glos, - after he was told

that it was selling the pâté.

 

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Foie gras is described as " torture in a tin " by animal rights

campaigners because it is produced by force-feeding ducks or geese

until their livers burst.

 

Andrew Farquharson, the Deputy Master of the Household at Clarence

House, said his chefs were ordered not to buy or serve the food.

 

" The Prince of Wales has a policy that his chefs should not buy foie

gras, " he said.

 

" His Royal Highness was not aware that the House of Cheese sells foie

gras and this will be addressed when their warrant is reviewed. "

 

Justin Kerswell, of Vegetarians International Voice for Animals,

which has campaigned against foie gras, said the move was overdue but

welcome.

 

" We are very pleased but foie gras should have been banned a long

time ago, " he said. " There is a groundswell of opinion against the

food.

 

" Foie gras is seen as very posh and the heir to the throne is

probably the poshest person in Britain so for him to ban it is very

good news. "

 

Last week one of the country's top restaurants - the two Michelin-

starred Midsummer House in Cambridge - removed foie gras from the

menu after it was subjected to a " terrifying " campaign of threats and

vandalism by the extreme animal rights group the Animal Liberation

Front.

 

The restaurant had been serving the delicacy since it opened 10 years

ago but after the campaign that left buildings sprayed with slogans,

the dish was withdrawn.

 

No major retailers in the UK sell foie gras, apart from Selfridges

and Harrods. Its production is banned in this country.