'I wouldn't turn up if you had a paper napkin': As Victoria Beckham shares her hosting tips, a former royal butler rates just how 'posh' her rules are - and David's 'incredibly rude' habit

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Victoria Beckham has shared her hosting dos and don'ts – including never using paper napkins or forgoing a butter dish, and insisted that phones have no place on the dinner table.

The Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer, 52, also revealed how her husband David goes around the room blowing out the candles when he wants dinner party guests to leave.

Victoria was spilling her hosting secrets on Instagram in a clip to promote her new tableware collection with German retailer Westwing, which interior designers previously labelled 'hardly ground-breaking' and 'expensive'.

The range includes a £119 shell-shaped butter dish and knife set and linen cocktail napkins for £54.99 as well as four coupes for £94 and a £74.99 serving platter. 

But whilst the fashionista's hosting rules are 'hard to disagree with', Julius F. Smith, former royal butler and founder of Regal Afternoon Tea, insisted David's approach to hosting is apparently 'incredibly rude'.

Victoria began her video by asking: 'What happens in the Beckham house when David wants people to leave?'

She then revealed: 'He literally walks around the room blowing out the candles, hoping that people will get the... get the hint.' 

But former butler Julius took issue with this approach, saying: 'Blowing out the candles while guests are still there is incredibly rude. A subtler hint works better, such as offering a final round of coffee and making clear it is the last. I have known bad hosts to simply go to bed, leaving guests to see themselves out.' 

However, the former royal butler praised Victoria's hosting as 'thoughtful', adding: 'She has attended enough glittering dinners over the years to know what is right and what is wrong.

'The rules she shares for hosting are quite standard and hard to disagree with. Her advice is not radical, but it is a useful reminder that small details make an evening feel special.

'Taken together, the rules come down to thoughtfulness: a host who pays attention to the table, the guests and the atmosphere will rarely go wrong.' 

During the video, Victoria shares the 'one unforgivable sin' when hosting – paper napkins.

'It's just not acceptable. I mean, I wouldn't turn up if you had a paper napkin, as well,' she insisted.

Julius couldn't agree more. He told the Daily Mail: 'They never belong on the table. Good linen ones are part of what makes a table feel properly laid. 

'The only exception is very sticky finger food when there are no finger bowls and linen would be ruined, and even then, it must be the most informal of dinner parties.'      

Victoria also discussed using mobile phones at the dinner table, and the importance of butter dishes.

She explained: 'Stunning butter dish on the table, Chef's kiss. I mean, what else are you going to do? Slap a Lurpak wrapper on the table?'

The designer added: 'You should never even have your phone on the table during a nice dinner party. Very inelegant. And the germs on that phone... that phone is dirty. Oh, yeah my gosh. That's so disgusting.'

Once again, Julius was in agreement. He said: 'Absolutely no phones at the table. You have either been invited or done the inviting, so your attention belongs on your company, not your screen. It is a simple courtesy, and phones are surprisingly dirty.'

However, he suggested that hosts should go one step further with their spreads, rather than just displaying them in dishes.

He instead said: 'I like to serve old-fashioned butter balls, because nothing looks smarter. It is a small touch that suggests care and effort.'

On Monday, Victoria launched her tableware collection Westwing. But for interior designer Jordana Ashkenazi, the range lacked a 'wow-factor'.

Olivia Boardman, from My Bespoke Room, agreed, declaring Victoria's latest venture as not 'particularly groundbreaking'.

She suggested the products are similar to cheaper items already available on the High Street, from the likes of Zara and H&M.

Victoria's range is only available on Westwing, a European e-commerce brand founded by Delia Lachance, an editor for Elle Germany magazine, in 2011 before launching in the UK earlier this year.

'It's simple, stylish, elegant, timeless and understated, which perfectly reflects Victoria's aesthetic as a whole,' said Jordana, founder and design director of Element One House. 'What I particularly like is that nothing is shouty or over the top. 

'It’s very much like her fashion. Beautiful, sophisticated and understated, but not necessarily something that makes you stop in your tracks and say wow. And that’s absolutely fine. Not everything in interiors needs to make a statement.

'But is it groundbreaking? No. Is it particularly innovative or something we haven’t seen before? Not really. Could you walk into the affordable high-street homeware stores and find very similar designs at a fraction of the price? Absolutely yes.

'That said, we’re talking about Victoria Beckham, and there is undoubtedly an appeal to owning something with her designer name attached. It’s a beautifully coordinated collection, and I do think there are some standout pieces worth looking at.'

Olivia, one of My Bespoke Room’s professional interior designers, who help transform homes from £195 per room, said: 'Victoria has created a collection that feels very true to her personal style: sophisticated, understated and with just enough glamour to make it interesting.

'From a design perspective, the range is undeniably elegant. The sculptural shell shapes and vintage-inspired silver finishes create a sophisticated, timeless look with a touch of old-school glamour. 

'However, while the designs are lovely, the prices are certainly high, and there are plenty more affordable alternatives that achieve a very similar look. This is definitely a collection for those with cash to splash rather than anyone looking for value for money.

'I don't think there's anything particularly groundbreaking here. Shell motifs, vintage-inspired silverware and coloured glass have been popular in interiors for some time, and similar styles can certainly be found at more affordable prices.

'Ultimately, you're paying for the design, the branding and the overall aesthetic as much as the products themselves. Would I spend £119 on butter dishes? Probably not! But would I happily style it on a beautifully dressed dining table? Absolutely. 

'My advice would be to choose one or two standout pieces and mix them with more affordable tableware. That's often how you create the most interesting interiors - and you certainly don't need a Beckham-sized budget to achieve the look.'

Jordana, meanwhile, said: 'If budget isn’t an issue and you absolutely love Victoria Beckham, then why not go the whole hog and have Vicky B everywhere?

'The collection works beautifully together, so you could create a very stylish, coordinated dining experience. Otherwise, I’d recommend picking and choosing a few favourite pieces rather than investing in the entire range. 

'My favourite pieces are definitely the champagne coupes, the sculptural glass vases and the tealight holders, which I think would make particularly lovely gifts. I also really like the hammered cutlery and the classic porcelain dinnerware.

'Do you need to spend this much to achieve the same look? Absolutely not. It’s undeniably Posh, but not every piece justifies a posh price tag. But if you love Victoria Beckham and want a little piece of her design aesthetic in your home, I can certainly see the appeal.'