With the German and French leaders in the building, along with the King of Spain, backstage it’s all hands to the deck at the European Parliament.

Behind the scenes on a V-VIP day

A day like few others  in the life of the European Parliament,

kicking off at its seat in Strasbourg  with a visit by the King of Spain, Felipe VI.

Plenty of press, plenty of protocol,  plenty of security personnel.

Backstage, scenes of regimented efficiency  as chefs work hard

to meet the surge in demand for VIP dining.

Today we manage things a bit differently,

but we don’t have more stress  than on a normal day let’s say.

What then might the King expect  to be served?

Today we have carpaccio of duck breast  with a fresh salad and toasted hazelnuts,

followed by sole with risotto,  with a chocolate fondant for dessert.

Norbert Closset is head  of catering services,

that are spread far apart  in Parliament’s sprawling architecture.

There are often last-minute changes  which is difficult to manage.

And the timings that are imposed  are very tight.

We can congratulate ourselves tomorrow  if all is received well, we're optimistic.

Front-stage, the key focus  of throngs of journalists

by Angela Merkel and François Hollande,  one after the other -

the first such joint event by a German  and French leader since 1989.

It’s a landmark visit because it’s so rare  that two heads of government

Everybody expects something from  the Franco-German tandem locomotive.

It’s a special day for Spanish journalists.

It’s not every day the King of Spain  comes to a European institution like the EP.

A day in the life  of the European Parliament.

For sure it’s not every day,  but it’s one savoured by many,