Renato’s on King Street has decided to reveal, almost 40 years after it happened, that Prince Charles celebrated going on leave with some of his friends from his Royal Navy station by dining at the restaurant. His meal in the perennially popular Bristol restaurant in 1974 took place when Charles was roughly the same age as Prince Harry is today.
Charles’ night out on December 4, 1974, was with 15 fellow officers who travelled by bus from the Royal Naval Air Station in Yeovilton, Somerset.
Angela Borgnana, who now runs the restaurant with her brother Giorgio, told Bristol Bites that her mother and father were shocked when Charles arrived.
She said: “Mum and Dad were sworn to secrecy so none of the customers could believe their eyes when Prince Charles walked in. Photos weren’t allowed but some of the faces that night were a picture!
“The prince ate spaghetti and said it was very good and his social secretary, Lieutenant Derek Mann, wrote ‘excellent food’ in an autograph book mum produced.
“Charles and all his friends signed the autograph book and were perfectly well-behaved, chatting and laughing and having fun. He had arranged the night out a as a farewell party for his fellow officers as he was in his last month at the air base.”
The Royal party then went to the Old Vic to watch a play called The Arrest, and it is said that when spotted they were given a spontaneous round of applause by the audience, before going backstage to meet the cast.
Bristol Culture 
Leave a comment