Page 12 - BPW-UK - E-news - Edition 122 - June 2024 - PDF Format
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Garden Party at Buckingham Palace


               Undoubtedly for me one of the highlights of 2024 will be attending a garden party at
               Buckingham Palace.

               On a gloriously sunny day in early May Sue Parsons and I set off to catch the Megabus
               in Oxford for London; it happened to be the day of a train strike but that was not going
               to stop us.  We were invited as trustees of Gloucestershire County History Trust CIO.
               The Duke of Gloucester, who is a patron of the charity, had arranged for four people
               to be invited to the event. Sir Nicholas and Lady Mander joined us at the Palace.

               Having made our way through the London traffic, we arrived at Buckingham Palace
               Road. It quickly became apparent that we were not the only people heading for the
               Palace that day. Not surprising when you realise that about four thousand people
               attended the event which was to celebrate the United Kingdom’s culture, art, heritage,
                                            film, TV, radio, fashion and creative industries.

                                            On arrival our first thought was to get something to eat. We
                                            found a small café in Sir Simon Milton Square.  Sitting
                                            having lunch we soon noticed  that there  was a steady
                                            stream of women heading for the cloakroom clutching hats
                                            or fascinators, all emerging dressed in their Sunday best
                                            ready for a visit to the Palace. People watching is great fun!

                                            Having gone through security, we all massed outside the
                                            familiar gates in front of the Palace. At about 3 o’clock they
                                            there opened and we all filed in past the sentries and on
                                            round to the impressive private grounds. Sue and I made
                                            our way to the  bottom of the steps in the garden  as
                                            instructed in the letter from The Duke and Duchess of
                                            Gloucester’s private office. If appropriate attendees were
                PNP Sue Brown at the Buckingham
                Palace Garden Party on 8 May 2024   gathered together according to which member of the Royal
                                            Family they were going to be presented to. For Sir Nicholas
               and Lady Mander, Sue and myself that was The Duke of Gloucester. There was rather
               a feeling of déjà vu because we had been presented to him at a fundraising event on
               the previous Friday.

               Prompt at 4 o’clock the band stuck up ‘God
               Save the King’ and the Royal Party
               appeared at the top of the garden steps. We
               were especially fortunate in that  King
               Charles III attended in person having only
               recently returned to  public engagements
               following    his   cancer     diagnosis    and
               subsequent ongoing treatment. The Queen
               was by his side and they were joined by The
               Princess Royal, The Duke and Duchess of
               Edinburgh and  The Duke and Duchess of
               Gloucester.
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