Buckingham Palace garden party: What it’s really like as an Aussie inside a Buckingham Palace garden party

The sun was out, the sky was blue – it was a picture perfect day for a royal garden party.

And as my Uber pulled up near Buckingham Palace, it was quite surreal that I would be attending one. 

I was invited to the Buckingham Palace Garden Party on Tuesday as a representative of London’s Foreign Press Association. I was surprised and delighted as it’s a rare opportunity for an Aussie expat (and a bucket list item!). 

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When the invite came in the mail, it was stamped with the Buckingham Palace crest and addressed to me in my humble London flat, sent by Lord Chamberlain on behalf of King Charles. 

In the lead up, I was slightly perplexed about what would be appropriate to wear – the invite stipulated a day dress or trouser suit for ladies, with the option of a hat.

I definitely didn’t want to wear anything too showy or ostentatious. I opted for a pale blue outfit and decided to experiment with a white pillbox hat (if not for a royal party, when?).

I had been warned by previous guests to wear dressy flats or comfortable heels – and I was glad I took the advice as it’s a long afternoon of standing on the grass.  

I met up with the three other Foreign Press Association members selected to attend, and we were ushered through the main gates of the palace when we arrived at about 3pm.

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We walked past the Beefeaters standing guard, took a few snaps (of course!) and then into the back gardens. There were around 8000 guests in total and there was a real excitement in the crowd as we made our way in. 

My first impression was just how vast the gardens were with a lake, lots of old trees, and flowers in bloom. It’s easy to forget that this large bit of real estate exists behind the palace gates in central London. 

Two military bands were playing at opposite sides of the party and there were plenty of men in top hats and tails – many of whom were holding umbrellas as canes. 

Most women were wearing spring colours and some form of hat or fascinator. Despite the strict dress code, I did spot two women who may have been taking the comfortable shoe advice too far and were wearing white sneakers (!!).

By the time we reached the lawn, huge crowds had already started gathering down two lines – creating an aisle where the royal family would traditionally walk and shake hands. 

The lines were already about four people deep so we didn’t try to jostle for a spot but had a nice view of the steps where the royals tend to pause for the national anthem before joining the party. 

When the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived, there was a brief hush. Kate looked very elegant in a bright yellow Emilia Wickstead dress and a matching Philip Treacy hat. I later found out she was also wearing her wedding day earrings. 

They were hosting the party on behalf of King Charles who had been at an event at Canada House earlier in the day. Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh were also there, along with Princess Eugenie and Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall. 

The royal family started making their way down the corridor of crowds, taking their time to speak to specific guests who had been pre-selected for a meet and greet. 

It really struck me just how engaged they were with each person, listening intently to their stories… but also, just what a fishbowl situation they live in. Camera phones were out at every angle as they made their way down the long stretch of guests.

Interestingly I saw a few people ask Kate for a hug – and a selfie – and she obliged.

My invitation came with a ticket to the Diplomatic Tent, where foreign dignitaries were gathering. This is where our group were served afternoon tea and we were able to sit down briefly.

Traditional black tea and iced coffee were on offer, along with an array of sweet and savoury treats, which of course included appropriately dainty cucumber sandwiches. Waiters also handed out ice creams which were met with much enthusiasm (from me).

This is an alcohol-free event which may help prevent such a large gathering from descending into rowdiness.

Everyone I saw was on their best behaviour – even while waiting for turns to take shots of the royals with their phones, the atmosphere was very respectful and friendly. 

There were plenty of interesting people inside the Diplomatic Tent and I had a good chat with the British Ambassador to the Holy See, Chris Trott, who had come from Italy for the occasion and brought his mother.

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There were many guests in traditional dress from around the world as well as clergymen, military officers and British TV and sport stars. 

While historically the garden parties were designed to be society Debutante events, nowadays many on the guest list tend to be charity workers or people who have given back to the community from across the United Kingdom. 

I met a woman called Hayley Watson from Devon who had brought her father along. She had been awarded an Order of the British Empire for running arts and crafts programmes during the covid lockdown.

About 4.30pm, the Prince and Princess of Wales took their afternoon tea in the Royal Tent, with Kate giving us a wave as she made her way inside. 

After about 20 minutes of more chats with high profile guests, they were back out again. The royal guards parted the crowds to let them walk through and back towards the palace. 

When it was all over, about 6pm, we funnelled back out through the gates and back to reality.

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Outside I happened to spot the King’s Guard hopping on a bus to be driven out of the palace, their job done for the day! 

Royal protocol states that all guests are only ever to attend a palace garden party once in their lifetime and are not eligible for subsequent invitations. 

My one-time invite definitely felt special, and whether you’re a fan of the monarchy or not – it really was incredible to experience this part of British culture and history.

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