Kate Middleton and Prince William are on hosting duty at Buckingham Palace.
The Prince and Princess of Wales attended their first garden party of the year on May 20. It represented something of a comeback for the princess, who last attended the seasonal event in 2023. Last year, William was joined by some of his cousins in the royal family as Kate stayed at home as she underwent cancer treatment.
Princess Kate, 43, and Prince William, 42, circulated among the thousands of guests on the lawns of the Buckingham Palace, dressing for the part. William looked dapper in a suit and top hat, while Kate popped in a yellow dress by Emilia Wickstead and a hat by Philip Treacy. Following the practice set by the late Queen Elizabeth, the Princess of Wales often opts for bright colors to stand out in a crowd.
In the documentary The Queen at 90, her daughter-in-law Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, said: “She needs to stand out for people to be able to say ‘I saw the Queen.’ Don’t forget that when she turns up somewhere, the crowds are two, three, four, 10, 15 deep, and someone wants to be able to say they saw a bit of the Queen’s hat as she went past.”
Earlier in the year, Kate made it a point to wear muted ensembles to keep the focus on her work with charitable organizations. Kensington Palace also released a rare statement in February clarifying comments from a Sunday Times article that claimed that there was concern about Kate’s style overshadowing her charity work. The same article stated that the palace would no longer be releasing details of Kate’s day-to-day engagements.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were joined at the gathering by William’s cousins Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall. Other royal family members in attendance were King Charles’ brother and sister-in-law Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Per tradition, the royal family members arrived around 4 p.m. local time, standing on the steps of the palace while the national anthem, “God Save The King,” was played.
They then headed onto the famous lawns to mingle with the guests, who had been treated to mini cakes, sandwiches and tea. The guests are invited to the royal residence in recognition of their public service and their links to some of the causes that William and Kate, as well as other royals, support throughout the year.
The May 20 event welcomed the family of Liz Hatton, a teen photographer who died of cancer last year. In 2024, the Prince and Princess of Wales met Hatton at Windsor Castle.
Also in attendance was Steven Frank, a Holocaust survivor whom Princess Kate photographed for a project in 2020.
King Charles hosts several garden parties at Buckingham Palace in London and one at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, inviting around 30,000 people annually for tea, conversation and music — and the chance to meet a member of the royal family.
According to the royal family’s official website, “Members of the royal family circulate among the guests through ‘lanes.’ Each takes a different route, and random presentations are made so that everyone has an equal chance of speaking to a member of the royal family.”
Tuesday’s garden party comes after King Charles and Queen Camilla have hosted two others so far this year.
It came a day after one of the other highlights of the season, the Chelsea Flower Show, which the King and Queen attended on May 19.
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