The Dutch royal household has spent €1.4m on new glasses, cutlery, crockery and table linen for official state banquets, broadcaster RTL said on Thursday.

The amount was published in king Willem-Alexander’s official accounts as ‘replacements for inventory in connection with state visits and official receptions’.

A spokesman confirmed to RTL that the purchase involved crockery which would be used for visits by ‘high level foreign dignitaries, members of the diplomatic corps and international organisations’.

RTL said the current tableware was bought 40 years ago and that so many plates have been broken, there were not enough to go round at an official banquet two years ago.