5 royal events we’d rather be invited to

From US President Obama and former prime minister Tony Blair through to pop star Lily Allen, a lot of people are miffed they didn’t get invited to the Royal wedding. We know how they feel. We’re practically neighbours with the groom’s Grandmother (here in Windsor) and we didn’t get one either.

Rather than moan about it on Twitter, we decided to put together a list of royal events we’d rather attend. You never know – maybe there’s a royal courtier in a royal kingdom somewhere who is a faithful Wanderlust reader…

Tongans love their food and they love their King. So what better way to celebrate the King’s birthday in July than with a huge traditional feast?

After starting the day with the obligatory military parade, the King soon hightails it down to the local beach where his loyal subjects have been digging traditional underground ovens or uma and cooking an assortment of local delicacies, all wrapped in banana or taro leaves to seal in the flavours. Others stoke the fires for the estimated 100 suckling pigs that need to be spit-roasted.

Finally, a huge feast is laid out on a long tray made from plaited coconut fronds, known as a pola, and everyone tucks in. Each pola holds up to 30 dishes, still wrapped in banana or taro leaves, including ota ika, fish marinated in lemon and coconut cream, and lu pulu, corned beef, also in coconut milk.

We’ll happily bring the palm wine.

When: The King’s birthday is celebrated on August 1 and is preceded by the Heilala Festival, a two-week celebration of Tongan arts, dance and culture

More info:Tonga travel guide