IT might be a culinary essential to the Italians, but the Queen's hosts during her state visit to Rome have been told to spare the garlic. It just wouldn't be proper for the monarch and Prince Philip to breathe pongy fumes over the many people they'll meet during the four-day trip so the pungent ingredient is banned from royal dishes.

But it's not just garlic that gets the royal elbow - tricky-to-eat spaghetti and potentially messy tomato sauces will also be off menus at the Quirinale Palace, the Rome residence of the Italian president where the Queen and Prince Philip are staying.

The Italy trip has also revealed some non-culinary pleas, like an entire room solely for the Queen's shoes. A £315-a-night room at the luxury Principe di Savoia Hotel in Milan, where the Queen will spend one night, has allegedly been booked for her footwear - all the furniture will be removed and plastic sheeting laid down to protect the carpet when her shoes are cleaned. Another room will be set aside for ironing her clothes.

The visit to Italy, during which Her Majesty will meet Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, is not the first time demands have been made by the royal party. Before any overseas visit, Buckingham Palace warns the hosts about the Queen's preferences.

The two hotels where she and Prince Philip stayed in South Africa last November were apparently sent six pages detailing the couple's likes and dislikes.

Food wise, the Queen avoids anything that's likely to cause bad breath, an upset tummy or has the potential to cause embarrassment.

Anything too spicy or exotic is not allowed, and there's an absolute ban on rare-cooked meat and shellfish. Even soft fruit like raspberries and blackberries are prohibited in case unsightly seeds get stuck in the royal teeth.

Not surprisingly, the Queen forgoes chopsticks for a much more manageable knife and fork when in China.

In spite of having the world's cuisine at her disposal, Her Majesty seems to prefer plain, simple food. Dishes that do win approval are haddock, cod and fillets of sole fried in butter (the Queen Mother's problems with getting fish bones stuck in her throat obviously haven't put off her daughter) served with fried potatoes and a squeeze of lemon.

Lamb, however, is her favourite dish, served with seasonal vegetables. Her preferred desserts are said to be chocolate mousse, poached pears, ice cream and lemon tart.

Afternoon tea takes place wherever in the world the Queen may be, and includes cucumber sandwiches, Dundee cake, scones and shortbread with Earl Grey or Darjeeling tea - she's even said to carry a kettle with her to hit 5pm teatime.

The Queen is also quite specific about what she's served at breakfast - the five-star Sheraton in Pretoria and the aptly named Royal Hotel in Durban, South Africa were told to provide wholewheat toast, oatcakes and English marmalade. Prince Philip, meanwhile, was happy with a traditional breakfast, together with local fruit - but no strawberries.

The couple never travel without their own supply of mineral water from England - when they travelled on the Royal Yacht Britannia, their five tonnes of luggage included bottles of Malvern water for Her Majesty's tea.

Their sleeping arrangements when away from home are another source of special requests. Beds in the royal suites must have crisp, white cotton sheets and blankets rather than duvets. Beds overseas are always aired with the royal hot water bottle. The Queen has a range of personalised toiletries, including homeopathic remedies for any ailment she may suffer while abroad.

Flowers in the bedroom are acceptable - as long as they're not carnations. The Queen appears to have a particular aversion to them - the orders for the South Africa trip described carnations of any colour "unsuitable". As far as the colour of other flowers goes, mauve is out.

Of course, all the luggage is packed by her staff, but there is said to be one item the Queen packs herself - a photograph of 'papa', George VI.

While the Queen's travel habits may seem over the top compared to the rest of us, other members of the royal family and plenty of celebrities have even greater demands.

Princess Margaret was once described as the "house guest from hell" with pleas that included furniture being moved to ensure the bed pointed in the 'right' direction. She also likes roaring fires, strong lights and somewhere to plug in her Carmen rollers.

During his visit to South Africa three years ago, Prince Charles took his own chef and all his own organic food.

The list of requirements from St James's Palace is as detailed as the Queen's. The Prince likes include soft boiled eggs, wild mushrooms, game, pasta, French cheese, double cream, full fat milk, Laphroaig whisky and dry martini, mixed to his own recipe. He's also said to take his own toilet roll - Kleenex Velvet. Large portions, overcooked vegetables, coffee, chocolate, nuts, pork, offal, tropical fruit, oysters and blue cheese are among his dislikes.

Though she travels little these days, the Queen Mother enforces her preferences at home, choosing asparagus, creamy egg dishes, chicken and veal. She dislikes cooking smells and chairs that are too soft.

As a guest, the Princess Royal seems the most easy to please with simple needs like scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, Coca-Cola and Kit-Kat bars.

While the Queen's hatred of garlic captured the headlines prior to her arrival in Italy yesterday, the visit does have a more serious side.

Security for the short trip has had to be tightened up for fear of possible incidents connected with the Middle East crisis and there is a diplomatic minefield to negotiate too - her visit to the Vatican is being followed by a trip to Rome's Anglican Centre, and the entire trip has been taken in her capacity as head of state, not Supreme Governor of the Church of England, such is the continuing sensitivity of the visit 500 years after the historic rift between King Henry VIII and Rome.

It's no wonder the Queen wants to surround herself with home comforts.