Since the 1860s, an invitation to a one of the Queen’s garden parties has been a much-coveted honour that money can’t buy, and Her Majesty’s retirement from hosting the annual event marks the end of an era.
While the events were originally held during Queen Victoria’s reign to present debutantes into society, these genteel royal tea party have become synonymous with Her Majesty mingling with guests in her signature bright colours to stand out amid the throngs – with crowds of up to 4,000 people.
Yesterday it was announced that the 96-year-old monarch who has mobility issues and has missed several major events this year, will not attend the four traditional garden parties held this summer.
Traditionally, Her Majesty hosts three Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace, and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland, with the events having evolved into a way of recognising and rewarding public service.
Over the years the monarch has come up with ingenious ways of selecting guests, for example choosing couples celebrating their 50th year of marriage to mark her golden wedding anniversary or invitees who were born on her succession day in 2002.
Throughout her impressive 70-year reign the monarch has undoubtedly put her stamp on the the parties hosted in the Buckingham Palace garden, having attended her first aged just 11 as Princess Elizabeth.
From lords and lieutenants to diplomats and celebrities, guests have included the likes of mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, Dame Vera Lynn and former Spice Girls Emma Bunton and Geri Haliwell – although the pair met Prince Charles who was hosting the occasion, rather than the Queen.
And while the events are certainly a sedate affair, there have been moments of controversy over the years, such as in 2016 when the Queen was caught on camera discussing a recent state visit by President Xi of China with Met Police Commander Lucy D’Orsi, and dsecribed his officials as ‘very rude’.
Her Majesty is pictured meeting invited guests at a garden party held at Buckingham Palace 2008, where she was accompanied by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams
The Queen at a Buckingham Palace garden party in July 2010. It was the perfect occasion for the monarch to showcase her style trick of dressing in bright colours to stand out from the crowd
After getting engaged in July 1947, then Princess Elizabeth attended her first garden party with her beloved Prince Philip, then Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at Buckingham Palace
Traditionally, Her Majesty hosts three Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace, and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland. The monarch is seen chatting with guests at a garden party at Buckingham Palace
The monarch met Postman Pat and Jess the cat as she strolled through the picnic area during the Children’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace to round off her own 80th birthday celebrations in 2006
Her Majesty is thought to have attended her very first party as a young Princess in July 1937, walking hand-in-hand through the gardens with the Queen Mother and her father King George VI.
Joining Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and his wife Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, the little Princess wore a frilly white frock and matching hat as royal fans watched on in adoration.
After getting engaged in July 1947, the monarch attended her first garden party with her beloved Prince Philip, then Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten.
Seven years later, Her Majesty was to host her first party as the Queen, joining the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and the Duke of Edinburgh to mingle with guests at the event.
Her Majesty attended her first party as the Queen in 1953 joining the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and the Duke of Edinburgh to mix with guests at the event at Buckingham Palace
Her Majesty descends the steps of Buckingham Palace accompanied by her husband The Duke of Edinburgh ahead of hosting a garden party
During the party she met Sir Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer and philanthropist who, alongside Nepalese mountaineer Sherpa Tenzing became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest.
However it was later on in her reign that Her Majesty really began to make her mark on the royal bashes, coming up with personal and inventive ways of selecting members of the public to meet.
At one of her parties in 1997, Her Majesty chose to invite only couples celebrating their golden wedding anniversary to coincide with 50 years of marriage between herself and Philip.
Sherpa Tenzing the Nepalese mountaineer who successfully ascended Mount Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953, with his wife and daughters outside Buckingham Palace before attending the Royal Garden Party. Major Wylie who accompanied the expedition, was also present, with his wife
Spice Girls Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell at a Buckingham Palace Garden party in 2006 held in honour of Celebrity Ambassadors and staff of The Princes Trust. The singers met with Prince Charles, although the Queen was not in attendance
Donning a bright pink coat, Her Majesty sheltered from the rain under an umbrella during the first Royal Garden Party of the year in the grounds of Buckingham Palace in 2016
The monarch met members of the Glasgow Wrens Association during the annual Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in 2017
The Duke of Edinburgh meets members of the Glasgow Wrens Association during the annual garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in 2017 at his final royal garden party before his death in April 2021
In 2002, one of the garden parties was attended only by invitees who were born on the 6th of February, 1952 – the Queen’s accession day – to celebrate her Golden Jubilee.
And while her Majesty is typically the picture of elegance and decorum, even the Queen herself has been caught slipping up on royal protocol during one of her garden parties.
In 2016, the Queen was caught making unguarded comments picked up by a TV camera.
The monarch was hosting a party in Buckingham Palace Garden attended by 4,000 people when she met Met Police Commander Lucy D’Orsi, who ran security for the state visit of China’s President Xi Jinping the previous October.
When she was told of Ms D’Orsi’s role working closely with the Chinese delegation she said: ‘Oh, bad luck’ before saying they were ‘very rude’ to British Ambassador to China, Barbara Woodward.
The filmed conversation also revealed she called the delegation’s actions ‘extraordinary’ and that she was aware of the Chinese group’s ‘testing’ behaviour.
Commander D’Orsi said this included one incident when officials stormed out of Lancaster House, close to Buckingham Palace an threatening to call off the trip.
A report on BBC World broadcast in the country was ‘blacked out’ by Chinese censors overnight.
In a rather less politically sensitve incident in 2019, a giggling influencer was seen breaking royal protocol when she directly handed Her Majesty a bunch of flowers at Buckingham Place – earning a gentle ticking off from one of the Queen’s aides.
Estate agent Laura-Ann, from Belfast, shared a video with her 64,000 Instagram followers showing the Queen politely thanking Laura and swiftly handed the bouquet to her lady-in-waiting.
In the clip, Laura-Ann said: ‘Your Majesty I’ve bought some flowers for you. You look beautiful in pink today, have a lovely tea.’
The Queen replied: ‘That’s very kind of you, thank you very much’.
She swiftly gave the flowers to her lady-in-waiting, who walked over and told Laura-Ann: ‘It’s easier for me to carry them, then the Queen can have them when she goes indoors.’
In 2017 the Queen hosted the last garden party to be attended by the late Duke of Edinburgh in the grounds of Holyrood Palace, where they mingled with guests including Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
For the last two years, Her Majesty’s garden parties have been cancelled, on account of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Queen last attended a garden party in 2019.
Garden parties will be staged from next week and the events will see members of the Royal Family welcome more than 30,000 guests to spend a summer afternoon in the gardens of Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Palace gates are open from around 3pm, with members of the Royal Family – traditionally the Queen – arriving an hour later, when the National Anthem is played by one of the two military bands present.
Donning a bright yellow ensemble and matching umbrella, Her Majesty is pictured greeting guests at a recent garden party held at Buckingham Palace
For the last two years, Her Majesty’s garden parties have been cancelled, on account of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Queen last attended a garden party in 2019
As the bands play, Her Majesty and other Members of the Royal Family would normally circulate among the guests before arriving at the Royal Tea Tent, where she meets further guests.
Attendees also queue in tea tents and take their seats on nearby chairs, with around 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake consumed at each party.
Yeomen of the Guard, dressed in their red and gold ceremonial costumes, form part of the proceedings, and guests are free to stroll around the vast expanse of the garden.
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