IT’S PARTY TIME AT THE PALACE
Duke in fine form as royals welcome guests to year’s first gathering
THE QUEEN, Duke of Edinburgh and senior members of their family have attended the first royal garden party of the year – and Philip was soon sharing a retirement joke.
The royal couple yesterday hosted the annual social event that sees thousands of guests invited to Buckingham Palace to enjoy tea on the lawns of the monarch’s famous London residence.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were among the members of the Royal Family who mingled with the guests along with the Earl of Wessex, Princess Royal, Princess Beatrice, Duke of Kent and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
Philip stunned the world when he announced earlier in May he is to retire from public duties after the summer.
He attended one of the last garden parties of his official working life dressed, like all the royal men were, in a morning suit, top hat and carrying an umbrella as a precaution against the dark skies.
When the Duke met Peter Chapman-Andrews, who has recently stepped down as the director of the Royal Institute of Navigation, and his wife Michele, they shared a joke about his retiring from the organisation.
Mr Chapman-Andrews, who said Philip was the organisation’s patron, said: “We talked about the fact I’ve recently retired and he asked me what I was going to do now.
“And my wife said ‘as little as possible’ and we had a laugh at that.”
Kate, who wore an outfit by Christopher Kane and matching hat by Lock & Co, chatted to Daniel and Jodie Bell, originally from Adelaide in Australia but now living in the UK for the past six months.
Mr Bell is a Warrant Officer 2nd Class and a combat engineer in the Australian Defence Force working as an instructor in Britain. Mrs Bell said about Kate: “She’s just stunning and she was telling us how she would like to go back to Australia on a holiday with the family.”
Every summer, the Queen hosts up to three garden parties at her London residence, as well as one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Approximately 8,000 guests attend each garden party, and people from all walks of life are invited on the recommendation of a number of national organisations which submit lists on a pre-arranged quota.
At a typical garden party, around 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake are consumed.
The Queen has given permission for three extra garden parties to be held at Buckingham Palace this year, with Prince Harry hosting one solo for the first time.
Former soldier Harry will join current and former members of the military at the annual Not Forgotten Association Garden Party on May 30.
We talked about the fact I’ve recently retired. Peter Chapman-Andrews, lately of the Royal Institute of Navigation.