Contributions to a History of Private Life: Drinks and Foods on the Table of King Carol II

Abstract

In this paper, I try to examine a particular aspect of a king’s life: alimentation. How much and how expensive was a breakfast or a dinner for Romanian king Carol II? What was included on the menu? What kind of wine, cognac and champagne drink a royal court? Based on the primary information, extracted from the National Archives files, our study try to offer an answer for all of these questions. More than that, I try to make a comparison between common people life level and the Romanian highlife in interwar period. Proportion between cash income and food cost illustrated very accurate the real life level in this period, for the most people. Our paper reveals a little surprising life style for a crowned person (in special for a king like Carol II): a variety of alimentation, but not an opulent style, a healthful menu, but not very expensive. So, popular expression like "eat like a king" must understand in a new sense, in a very positive sense.