An exhibition recreating the splendour of the occasion will give visitors a glimpse of an event normally reserved for foreign presidents and royalty.

The large horseshoe table in the Palace ballroom is laid out with rare cutlery and plates, including pieces from the Grand Service – a silver gilt dinner set made for the Prince of Wales, later George IV, in 1811 for £60,000.

On display on side tables are a range of items including the Shield of Achilles – a large dish from the 1821 coronation banquet of George IV – and the altar dish used at the coronation of Charles II in 1661.

There are also dishes made by the Minton factory at Stoke-on-Trent for Queen Victoria in 1877 and dessert plates from an 18th century service acquired by George IV.

We wanted to give the impression of what it might be like to attend a state banquet

Kathryn Jones of the Royal Collection

The Queen, who has hosted 77 state banquets, has already toured the display and given her approval.

Kathryn Jones, of the Royal Collection, who is curator of the exhibition, said: “We wanted to give the impression of what it might be like to attend a state banquet.

“Only a tiny minority of the population will have been invited to one, so giving everyone else the chance to experience the event was one of the ideas behind doing the exhibition.”

The state rooms are open from July 29 to September 29.