AN AFTERNOON AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE: HRM GARDEN PARTY

On 12th May, Sue and I were invited to attend a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace by the Lord Chamberlain on behalf of the Queen. The weather was unexpectedly good and the event most enjoyable with no repetition of ‘raspberry-gate’ on my part. The primary invitation was Sue’s in recognition of her contribution to the business community and the economy through her work in business and management education.

Garden parties have been held at Buckingham Palace since the 1860s, when Queen Victoria instituted what were known as ‘breakfasts’ although they took place in the afternoon. In the 1950s, the number of garden parties held at Buckingham Palace was increased to three a year. They took the place of presentation parties attended by debutantes and have evolved into a way of rewarding and recognising public service. They are attended by people from all walks of life.
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