Every summer the Queen holds 3 Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse (her official home in Scotland). They are steeped in tradition and the annual parties are a way for the Queen and other members of the royal family to meet members of the public who have made a significant contribution to their community or nation. They recognise and reward public service. Originally, Garden Parties replaced the Presentation Parties attended by debutantes, when the practise finished in 1958. This practise ended as it was seen to be inappropriate given the political scene at the time. It also promoted social class superiority, and the government and Palace wanted to make the monarchy more accessible to those from all classes and backgrounds, and celebrate the hard work done by many individuals across the nation. It was old fashioned and part of a Britain that had long since moved on.
Throughout the country, Lord-Lieutenants, Societies and Associations, Government Departments, Local Government, the Services, the Church and other Faiths are consulted to decide who should be invited. They nominate guests, and it is hoped that a cross section of the country is represented. One cannot simply apply for an invitation.
During a Garden Party, the gates open at 3pm and guests are free to wander the gardens of the Palace. At 4pm, the National Anthem is played by one of the two present military bands (who provide music throughout the afternoon). This signals the arrival of the Queen (and the Duke of Edinburgh before his retirement in September 2017), along with other members of the royal family. A selected few line up to be presented to the Queen, and then the royals mingle with the assembled guests. ‘Lanes,’ are created in amongst the guests to allow this mingling of the royals, and to give everyone a chance to meet at least one member of the royal family. The Queen then concludes at the Royal Tea Tent where she meets more guests.
In addition to these Garden Parties, the Princess Royal, as patron of the Not Forgotten Association, a charity for war veterans, hosts a special Garden Party for the charity. The Queen also allows other Garden Parties to be held, such as the one in May 2018 for the Prince of Wales’ 70th birthday celebrations, when representatives of the charities and associations he supports were invited.
For a Garden Party, gentlemen are required to wear lounge suits or morning dress, and ladies wear a day dress with a hat. Some wear national or military or religious dress.
Around 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake are consumed at each Garden Party. In total, around 30,000 people are invited to a Garden Party each year. I think it a great way for the Queen and other members of the royal family to meet a broad selection of people who are positively impacting their community, some in a hidden or unseen way, or very sacrificially. I believe these are the people that keep our nation going, and our society in tact, so for them to be rewarded and recognised in this way is super important. It also encompasses and celebrates British culture at its best.
This year, the first garden party was held by the Prince of Wales on behalf of the Queen, along with the Duchess of Cornwall and the Princess Royal. The second was held by the Queen along with The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke of York, Earl and Countess of Wessex, Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The third was also held by the Queen, with the Duke of Sussex, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent in attendance. We have photos of this third garden party from our contacts who attended the party! They reported that there was one type of tea available.. There were a selection of sandwiches such as smoked salmon and cream cheese, and chicken and dill wrap. There were a selection of small cakes too, but no scones. Each sandwich and cake was a small, one or two bites-sized, portion.
