Garden Parties 2023
Published
To celebrate the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen, two Garden Parties will take place in the Buckingham Palace Garden in 2023, as well as one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
9 May 2023
The second Buckingham Palace Garden Party was hosted, on behalf of The King, by The Prince of Wales. His Royal Highness was joined by The Princess of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
8,000 guests were welcomed to the garden in recognition of their public service and charity or community work.
3 May 2023
The first of the annual Garden Parties took place on 3 May 2023. It was hosted by The King and The Queen Consort, who were accompanied by The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent.
To celebrate the Coronation and with support from Her Majesty The Queen Consort, the Royal Voluntary Service launched the Coronation Champions Awards in February 2023 to recognise exceptional volunteers from across the country. The 500 volunteers selected as the nation’s Coronation Champions were invited to attend one of the official Coronation celebrations with many being invited to a Coronation Garden Party.
About Garden Parties
Established during the reign of Queen Victoria, Garden Parties are an important way for members of the Royal Family to speak to a broad range of people from all walks of life, all of whom have made a positive impact in their community.
Throughout the country, a long established network of sponsors is used to invite guests, who include Lord-Lieutenants, Societies and Associations, Government Departments, Local Government, the Services, the Church and other Faiths. They nominate guests for invitation and we hope in this way to achieve a representative cross section of the community.
What happens at a Garden Party?
On the day of the Garden Party, the Palace gates are open from around 3pm. The Party officially begins when Members of the Royal Family enter the garden at 4pm, when the National Anthem is played by one of the two military bands present.
While the bands continue to play a selection of music, 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. Members of the Royal family then arrive at the Royal Tea Tent, where they meet further guests. Guests are free to eat, drink and stroll around the beautiful Palace gardens.
Related content
Remarks by The King at 'A King's Trust Celebration' at the Royal Albert Hall
You'll all make a huge difference to this country and many others.
A speech by His Majesty The King at the White House State Dinner, Washington
Tonight, we are here to renew an indispensable alliance which has long been a cornerstone of prosperity and security for both British and American citizens. Our people have...
The King’s Address to the Joint Meeting of Congress in Washington
The Alliance that our two Nations have built over the centuries – and for which we are profoundly grateful to the American people – is truly unique.
The King’s message to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth’s ‘promise with destiny kept’ shaped the world around her and touched the lives of countless people across our nation, the Commonwealth and beyond.
The King's letter to Colonel Jeremy Hansen ahead of the launch of the Artemis II mission
It is with immense pride and a profound sense of shared purpose that I write to you as you prepare to embark upon the Artemis II mission.
The King and Queen will undertake a State Visit to the United States of America followed by a Royal Visit by The King to Bermuda
A Speech by The Queen at a Literary Reception to mark the fifth anniversary of Her Majesty's Reading Room
I find it hard to believe that it is five years since I founded it, at the height of lockdown, with the simple aim of sharing my lifelong conviction that books make life...
The King's speech at the Nigeria State Banquet
We in the United Kingdom are blessed that so many people of Nigerian heritage, having chosen Britain as their home, are now at the heart of British life through excelling at...
The Queen's speech at a WOW reception to mark International Women's Day
Every woman has a story. And these stories must be told. Because when we live in a culture of silence, we empower violence against women and girls.
The King's Commonwealth Day Message 2026
Working together, we can ensure that the Commonwealth continues to stand as a force for good – grounded in community, committed to the kind of restorative sustainability that...
Royal Household Gift Policy 2026
This Gift Policy seeks to provide a framework for the management of gifts by The Royal Household, on behalf of The Sovereign and other Members of The Royal Family.
A message from His Majesty The King congratulating Team GB and teams across the Commonwealth on their successes at the Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina.
As the Winter Games come to a close, my wife and I send our most heartfelt congratulations to all the Olympic medal winners from Team GB, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, on...
A message from The King on the death of Reverend Jesse Jackson
My wife and I were deeply saddened to hear of the death of the Reverend Jesse Jackson. We send our deepest sympathy to his family. I remember with great fondness meeting him...
The Queen hears about Avon and Somerset Police's approach to tackling domestic abuse
12 February 2026
A message from The King ahead of a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate carers
So to those who provide care - whether you wear a uniform or simply the clothes you felt able to pull on in the morning - please know that the great love you show in small...
A message from The King, following the attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia
My wife and I were profoundly shocked and saddened to learn of the most dreadful attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. We can only express our deepest...
