Summer is around the corner, and the British royals are celebrating with the season’s first garden party.
On May 7, King Charles, Queen Camilla and other members of the royal family came together for the first garden party of the season at Buckingham Palace.
In a tradition reminiscent of Bridgerton, garden parties have been held since the 1860s as a way for the monarch to thank outstanding community members for their contributions and reward public service. Over 30,000 people are invited to the festivities each year across different dates.
The palace gates open to garden party invitees at 3 p.m. local time, and the event officially begins an hour later when members of the royal family arrive and the national anthem is played by a military band.
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Buckingham Palace garden party on May 7, 2025
Inside, garden party guests are invited to eat treats like cake, drink tea and walk around the palace’s gardens. They might also meet a royal! According to the official website, “Members of the royal family circulate among the guests through ‘lanes.’ Each takes a different route, and random presentations are made so that everyone has an equal chance of speaking to a member of the royal family.”
King Charles looked sharp in a suit and top hat, keeping with the garden party dress code that asks men to wear morning dress or lounge suits. Meanwhile, while women sport day dress with an optional hat or fascinator, and Queen Camilla popped in a dark teal ensemble complete with a wide-brimmed hat. Many attendees also opt to don national dress or a uniform.
Related: Prince William Teams Up with His Royal Cousins to Host a Rainy Buckingham Palace Garden Party
The sun was shining for Wednesday’s event, and the late Queen Elizabeth once told a guest that the weather was always a “worry” when it came to garden parties.
“Well, you do rather hope the sun shines as when you invite 8,000 people to have tea on your lawn. It can be a bit of a worry,” she told a teacher during a 2019 event.
Buckingham Palace previously announced that there would be three King’s Garden Parties this summer: the first on May 7 at Buckingham Palace in the heart of London, the second on May 20 at the same location and the third on July 1 at the Palace of the Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Palace of the Holyroodhouse is King Charles’ official royal residence while in Scotland and where he spends a “Royal Week” of work each summer. Like Buckingham Palace, the Palace of the Holyroodhouse is also open to the public through ticketed entry — though the King might more likely be found at Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s private hideaway in the Scottish Highlands, when he’s off-duty!
Related: Queen Camilla Hosts Special Afternoon Tea for Boy Who Missed Palace Garden Party Due to Traffic
In addition to the three King’s Garden Parties scheduled for this summer, the palace also said that there would be two themed garden parties this season.
On May 14, the Education and Skills Garden Party will be held at Buckingham Palace to celebrate those working in education. The event is being supported by the Department for Education and will bring together 7,000 guests from the sector.
Two days later, on May 16, Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester, will host The Not Forgotten Association Annual Garden Party at the palace. The association is dedicated to entertainment, leisure and recreation for ex-service men and women as well as service personnel who are wounded, injured or sick.
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The Not Forgotten Association is a charity Princess Anne backs as patron and fête will bring together 2,000 beneficiaries from across the U.K. and all military services.
The bash was the royal family’s second major appearance of the week, following the military procession and flypast at Buckingham Palace on May 5. The patriotic programming officially began the royal family’s commemorations for the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day tomorrow, and Prince William and Kate Middleton served a surprise by bringing their kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis along.
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