The Prince and Princess of Wales were back at Buckingham Palace this sunny afternoon to host one of the annual Garden Parties. Princess Kate last week presented the British Council Fashion Award. Since completing her Cancer treatment, Princess of Wales has been slowly returning to the public life with short agenda every week.
Joining William and Kate at the Garden party were The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall. This was Kate’s first garden party since June 2023.
Over the course of each year, over 30,000 guests are invited to spend a relaxed summer afternoon in the beautiful gardens of Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Garden Parties are an important way for members of the Royal Family to speak to a broad range of people from all walks of life, all of whom have made a positive impact in their community.
On the day of the Garden Party, the Palace gates are open from around 3pm. The Party officially begins when Members of the Royal Family enter the garden at 4pm, when the National Anthem is played by one of the two military bands present. In the second half of the 19th century, Queen Victoria further popularized these gatherings by holding regular events at Buckingham Palace. On June 22, 1868, Queen Victoria ushered in a new era of royal celebrations, hosting her first garden party on the Buckingham Palace grounds.
The Prince and Princess of Wales mingled with the guests and met with many familiar faces. They family of Liz Hatton, mother Vicky Robayna, father Aaron and brother Mateo. Liz Hatton a cancer campaigner and photography prodigy from Harrogate, passed away at the age of 17 in November 2024 from a rare and largely untreatable cancer. Kate met her at Windsor castle.
From DailyMail’s report,
Liz’s parents Vicky and Aaron, along with her brother Mateo, nine, had an emotional chat with the royals at the garden party to honour the memory of their daughter. When Kate spotted Liz’s mother they embraced with a warm hug. Her parents said meeting Prince and Princess changed her and their family’s life positively forever. Also at today’s garden party was Tony Hudgell, the double amputee from Kent who missed the King’s garden party last year due to a traffic jam. This time, Tony made it in plenty of time and was warmly welcomed by Queen Camilla at a private gathering.
Among the guests were many Holocaust survivors whom William and Kate have met in the past. Continuing from Daily Mail’s report, “In addition to meeting the Hatton family, Kate was also reunited with Holocaust survivor Steven Frank at a Holocaust Memorial Day event in 2025. When they met Kate said, ‘I feel like we are old friends now. Lovely to see you again.’Their meeting brought full circle their previous connection, as the Princess had photographed Mr Frank in 2020 for her Generations: Portraits of Holocaust Survivors exhibition, capturing powerful images that honoured those who lived through the atrocities of the Second World War.The reunion was a deeply moving continuation of that bond, with the royal couple paying tribute to Mr Frank’s story and the enduring importance of remembrance.“
What Princess Kate Middleton wore to May 2025 Garden Party
- Emilia Wickstead Primrose Coat Dress – Repeat from June 2022 Thanksgiving Service during Platinum Jubilee celebrations
- Philip Treacy OC 908 Hat – Repeat from June 2022 Thanksgiving Service during Platinum Jubilee celebrations
- Robinson Pelham Wedding Earrings – Repeat from a wedding gift in April 2011
- Forever New Lily Woven Clutch – Repeat from June 2022 Thanksgiving Service during Platinum Jubilee celebrations
- Gianvito Rossi Ribbon85 Slingback pumps – Repeat from the 2023 Women’s Wimbledon Singles final match
On Thursday, Princess Kate will be heading to Glasgow with Prince William where she will be attending the naming ceremony of HMS Glasgow.
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