Photo gallery - The Nobel Banquet 2010

The tables in the Blue Hall of the Stockholm City Hall are laid with the special Nobel tableware set created for the 90th anniversary of the Nobel Prize in 1991 by three Swedish designers, Karin Björquist (Rörstrand/Gustavsberg), Gunnar Cyrén (Orrefors) and Ingrid Dessau (Klässbols Linneväveri).

The more than 60 tables in the Blue Hall are ready to receive the about 1,350 banquet guests. The tables are covered with more than 470 metres of linen cloth, and the meticulous table settings consist of no fewer than some 7,000 porcelain pieces, 5,000 glasses and 10,000 items of silverware.

In the kitchen, 45 chefs prepare the starter for the evening's dinner before it is served at the Blue Hall. Here, the duck galantine is being prepared.

The Nobel Banquet dessert, milk chocolate and orange Bavarian cream, under preparation in the kitchen.

Laureate in Economic Sciences Dale T. Mortensen arrives at the Nobel Banquet accompanied by Priscilla Myrick Diamond.

About 260 servers work with the banquet meals

The Nobel Banquet menu is not revealed until 7.00 p.m. when all quests are seated. About 260 staff serve the banquet meal.

Konstantin Novoselov, Nobel Laureate in Physics, and Sweden's Queen Silvia at the table of honour.

Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria seated beside Ei-ichi Negishi, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry.

All guests assembled inside the Blue Hall at the Stockholm City Hall.

Nobel Laureate in Physics Andre Geim, seated beside Mrs Gunilla Storch, at the table of honour.

Dancers, actors, singers and musicians take part in the entertainment 'A Nobel Fantasy', specially created for the evening, by choreographer Birgitta Egerbladh.

A sparkling dessert arrives: milk chocolate and orange Bavarian cream, flavoured with Gammeldansk Bitter, served with an orange salad.

After the dinner, all banquet guests move upstairs, to the Golden Hall, for an evening of dancing.

Dale T. Mortensen, Laureate in Economic Sciences, on the dance floor in the Golden Hall.

Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel Laureate in Literature, dances with his young relative in the Golden Hall.

Laureates and Royalty at the Nobel Banquet

From left to right: Prince Carl Philip, Dr Irina Barbolina and Nobel Laureate Konstantin Novoselov, Her Majesty Queen Silvia and His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Dr Irina Grigorieva, Alexandra Grigorieva and Nobel Laureate Andre Geim, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel.

From left to right: Mrs Yoko Suzuki and Nobel Laureate Akira Suzuki, Her Majesty Queen Silvia and His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Crown Princess Victoria, Nobel Laureate Richard F. Heck and Mrs Socorro N. Heck, Mrs Sumire Negishi and Ei-ichi Negishi, Prince Daniel and Prince Carl Philip.