The Ajuda National Palace presents a new exhibition dedicated to the daily life of the Royal Table, offering a unique journey into the domestic universe of the Portuguese court in the second half of the 19th century.

Away from the traditional narrative centered on grand banquets and royal ceremonies, this exhibition reveals the behind-the-scenes workings of the Royal Household, highlighting the service areas and the discreet work that sustained the daily life of the palace. Kitchens, pantries, storerooms, warehouses, and laundry rooms now take center stage in a journey that showcases the complex logistical organization associated with court life.

With the patronage of the Millennium bcp Foundation, the Palace opens for the first time an evocation of areas long since disappeared or inaccessible, establishing a link between the Dining Room — where the refined original atmosphere is recreated — and the Dishwashing Room.

Based on historical documentation, material testimonies and interdisciplinary research, the tour allows one to understand the supply and service circuits of the Royal Household, the preparation and presentation of meals, as well as the role played by those responsible for the State Tables, cooks, silver boys and other servants who ensured the daily functioning of the court.

“The Daily Life of the Royal Table at Ajuda Palace. 1862–1910” invites visitors to discover a less visible, but essential, dimension of palace life during the time of King Luís I and Queen Maria Pia, where the splendor of the royal table coexisted with the rigor, knowledge, and labor of the service areas.

This project also reinforces the long-standing collaboration between the Ajuda National Palace and the Millennium bcp Foundation, which since 2008 has supported various initiatives for the restoration, requalification, and enhancement of heritage, contributing to the preservation and dissemination of Portuguese historical and cultural heritage.