ROYAL GARDEN PARTIES

8,000 people take tea at Buckingham Palace

Colourful hats, smart clothes, and cake with lashings of tea - just some of the ingredients of a Royal garden party.

Every year at least three garden parties are held at Buckingham Palace, with another at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh.

Guests from many organisations are invited to go - from charities, local and central government, the Armed Services, different professions and community groups.

It is a chance for them to visit Buckingham Palace, and perhaps to meet The Queen or a member of the Royal Family. Garden parties also give The Queen a chance to meet people from all walks of life, and to thank them for the work they do.

Garden parties take place between 4pm and 6pm, but guests begin to arrive from around 3pm.  The Queen and members of the Royal Family walk among the guests and talk to as many people as possible. Two military bands provide musical entertainment.

Guests are invited on the recommendation of the organisations to which they belong, such as the Armed Services or the Civil Service. It is not possible for an individual to apply directly to go to a garden party - they have to be invited. All the arrangements are handled by the Lord Chamberlain's Office in Buckingham Palace. You also have to be over 18 years of age to attend.

Garden parties were first held at Buckingham Palace by Queen Victoria in the 1860s. Between 1948 and 1958, there were two garden parties held in Buckingham Palace, and one garden party held at Holyroodhouse when the Sovereign was there. Since 1958, the number of Garden Parties held at Buckingham Palace has increased to three every year, and often The Queen will give an extra garden party for a large organisation such as a charity.

One of the nice things about the garden parties is the chance to dress up. Ladies wear a hat, and can wear their uniform if they are in the Services. Men can wear a morning coat, lounge suit or their uniform. People from Commonwealth countries can wear their national dress.

Another nice thing is the afternoon tea which guests enjoy. Because around 8,000 guests attend each garden party, lots of food needs to be prepared:

20,000  Sandwiches
5,000  Bridge rolls
9,000  Scones
9,000  Fruit pastries
3,000  Buttercake fingers
8,000  Slices of chocolate/lemon cake
4,500  Slices of Dundee cake
4,500  Slices of Majorca slice
3,500  Slices of chocolate/jam Swiss roll
3,500  Vanilla/strawberry ice creams

27,000  Cups of tea
10,000  Glasses of iced coffee
20,000  Glasses of fruit squash

That's a lot of food! Meanwhile, 12,000 cups and saucers are used, 10,000 tea spoons, 10,000 tea plates and 6,000 glasses. The buffet table stretches for 408 ft!

Garden parties also give guests a chance to see the beautiful gardens behind Buckingham Palace. There is a lake with lots of wild birds, beds of flowers, avenues of trees, and garden pavilions. There is even a small waterfall!

All in all, it is a day to remember. The sun may not always be shining, but guests leave knowing they have had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Perhaps one day you will be a guest there too!

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

You can see some of the Buckingham Palace gardens during the months of August and September when the Palace is open to visitors.

Why not hold your own garden party and pretend that The Queen or some other important visitor is going to attend? Make invitations to send out - you can use the invitation above to see what sort of information you need to include. How many sandwiches do you think you will need? What sort of cakes will you have? Many guests wear hats of some sort. You could try making a hat, colouring it in, and maybe even using feathers! Remember to ask your parents, teachers, or youth leaders for permission to have a garden party first. You will also need the help of an adult before you prepare food.