From the ArcaMax Publishing, Trivia Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/trivia/s-476502-592435
Chicken á la King, a dish of diced chicken in a cream and sherry sauce, was originally chicken á la Keene, and only later was corrupted to suggest a royal provenance. Several parties lay claim to the dish's name origin, the most prevalent being London's Claridge's Hotel claim that the Keene in question was equestrian J. R. Keene and said its chef had created the dish to memorialize his 1881 Grand Prix victory.
This news arrived on: 01/11/2009