Bateaux Windsor to celebrate Royal Wedding with extended cruise

Royal wedding watchers heading to Windsor this month can enjoy all the pomp and ceremony of the occasion from a unique vantage point – the river Thames.

As the country counts down to the wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, on 19 May, the Berkshire town is gearing up for an influx of visitors from around the world, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the happy couple.

And one Windsor restaurant is giving visitors the chance to soak up the atmosphere – and escape the crowds – by taking to the river for a full English afternoon tea or a dinner cruise, as the sun sets on the day.

On the afternoons of Friday 18 and Saturday 19 May, Bateaux Windsor is extending its schedule to offer one-and-a-half hour cruises on its vessel, Melody, past Windsor Castle, Eton College, Windsor Racecourse, Romney Lock and many other heritage sites.

In honour of this typically British occasion, guests will be served a traditional tea of smoked salmon and cream cheese, egg and cress, cucumber and minted yoghurt and roast beef and rocket sandwiches.

Cakes will include mini doughnuts, chocolate fudge brownies, macarons and lemon tart, while fruits scones will be accompanied by Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve.

Those opting for a two-and-a-half-hour evening cruise will be treated to a five-course meal prepared and cooked on board by Bateaux Windsor’s team of chefs, starting with artisan bread and smoked mackerel rillettes, with horseradish mousse, textures of beetroot and radish or a vegetarian option of pickled and salt baked baby vegetables with fromage blanc and wild flower honey.

Main courses will be either English lamb rump, aged parmesan risotto, wild mushrooms, watercress purée and pan jus or pumpkin tortellini with sage butter, pine nuts and parmesan crackling.

A pistachio and apricot torte dessert with apricot coulis, crème anglaise and mint poached apricots, will be followed by Fairtrade coffee, teas or Infusions and petit fours.

“Without question Windsor is the place to be on 18 and 19 May,” said head chef, Joanna Bell, “and Melody is the perfect place from which to watch the day unfold and draw to a close.

“The atmosphere will be fantastic – and along with a superb vantage point, we’ll be serving lots of wine and Champagne to toast Harry and Meghan.”

Melody is moored at Thames Side, a few minutes’ walk from Windsor and Eton Riverside station.