I experienced the highlight of our posting recently - we were invited to attend the Queen's Garden Party. I've discovered a new appreciation for Afternoon tea and tea in general since living here, so having tea at Buckingham Palace was like reaching Afternoon tea Meca.
Each year Her Majesty hosts 3 Garden Parties in the Spring which are held in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Just receiving the invitation alone was exciting enough. To see a very posh, gold embossed invitation card addressed to us accompanied by complex series of security information for the day (what identification to bring to clear the security screening) what attire was considered appropriate and a list of what not to bring
Joined by another Australian family living in Kensington, we met on the High Street in our Spring finery and had a true London experience hailing a Black Cab and telling the driver to ‘take us to the Palace’
After clearing the security at the main gate, we entered the gravel courtyard at the front of the Palace before being marshaled through the archway into the centre courtyard. After passing the palace and seeing it from the public viewing area outside many times before, it was surreal to actually be ‘on the inside’
We entered the Palace's ground floor state room and passed through before exiting outside to the Palace Garden (or in Australian parlance … ‘The Queen’s back yard’) The Garden was expansive and lined by enormous white marquee tents set up for afternoon tea and surrounded by small table and chairs for guests. There were also two smaller marquees – the Royal enclosure and The Diplomatic enclosure to house the VIPs. In addition, there were two gazebos where two military bands were positioned and who in turn played music throughout the afternoon.
The highlight though was the opening strands of God Save the Queen which heralded the arrival of the Royal Hosts. The Queen, Prince Philip, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Kent attended the party. The Royal hosts were ushered through the crowd of 3000 guests and stopped enroute to the Royal Enclosure to greet guests.
It was surreal to see their faces so familiar from press reporting, up close and personal. After the formal arrival we shifted to the Main Marquee to sample tea, cucumber sandwiches, smoked salmon sandwiches and ham and seeded mustard sandwiches. Followed by tiny sweet treats such as mini chocolate ganache tarts adorned with tiny chocolate discs emblazoned with the Royal crown in gold paint. Mini strawberry and custard tarts and mini éclairs. It all looked, and tasted, amazing and it made for great people watching observing guests in their finest attire precariously balancing small cocktail plates with a tea cup and assortment of tea sandwiches and cakes without spilling crumbs or causing a scene.
Among the guests were members of the English Parliament, members of the Olympic and Paralympic Team G.B (including the English wheelchair rugby team who we were lucky enough to talk to) and other members from the diplomatic community including a range of military officers all kitted out in their formal uniforms. The crowd included the young in the most chic dresses and fascinators through to older guests whose outfits and fine hats revealed their obvious wealth.
After tea the Queen and her party returned inside the Palace again to the strains of the anthem and we were able to see both Her Majesty and Prince Philip walk past at only 1 metre distance. A short walk through the incredible gardens of the Palace and it was time to leave. We left on foot through Green Park still buzzing from the experience.
London is a city that offers the widest variety of foodie experiences but I think tea with the Queen is going to be hard to beat.
