On May 9, Buckingham Palace held its annual outdoor Garden Party. And although King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who were resting after the coronation celebrations, were not in attendance, the party was attended by other members of the royal family. Kate Middleton and Prince William, who along with Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, hosted the party, as well as the royal Princess Anne, interacted with guests.
Guests are known to traditionally pick their best outfits for the garden party. For example, Kate Middleton appeared in public in a light blue Elie Saab look, the same one she wore to the Royal Ascot race in 2019. The exquisite outfit with elements of lace and tulle was completed by Princess Catherine with silver ankle boots from Giantvito Rossi, a tone-on-tone riveted clutch from Elie Saab and diamond hoop earrings by jewellery designer Kiki McDonough. It’s easy to imagine that this was a breath of fresh air stylistically for Kate, who wore classic red, blue and white colours to the coronation celebrations of Charles III.
The Duchess of Edinburgh opted for the same outfit she wore to the races last year – a blue lace Suzannah gown. She was accompanied at the event by her husband, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh.
As a reminder, up to three outdoor parties are held each year at Buckingham Palace Garden. These events are an important part of the royal family’s calendar. Interesting fact: during her lifetime, Elizabeth II hosted up to 30,000 guests at such parties. It is estimated that at a typical Garden Party attendees drank up to 27,000 cups of tea and ate up to 20,000 sandwiches and cakes.
