By Sheila Mckenzie-
King Charles and Camilla hosted their first garden party today.
The royal couple opened the doors of the royal residence in London to thousands of guests on Wednesday for the first garden party of King Charles’ reign. Garden parties have been held at Buckingham Palace since the 1860s as a way for the monarch to recognize public service.
Also in attendance were Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
King Charles, 74, and Queen Camilla, 75, were dressed for the occasion, with the King sporting a top hat. The Queen Consort wore a blue and white dress by Bruce Oldfield for the occasion, completing her look with a Philip Treacy hat.
The royal couple opened the doors of the royal residence in London to thousands of guests on Wednesday for the first garden party of King Charles’ reign. Garden parties have been held at Buckingham Palace since the 1860s as a way for the monarch to recognize public service.
Also in attendance were Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Queen Camilla were joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh as they welcomed thousands of guests into the immaculately manicured grounds.
Among the privileged guest was Lionel Richie, who will be performing at the Windsor Castle concert on Sunday night. He said he was ecstatic about the occasion. The royals paused at the top of the steps before making their way down into the garden to meet the guests who had been carefully chosen for the honour.
Other guests invited to join The Royal Family for the party included members of the Royal Voluntary Service who were named Coronation Champions for their dedication to volunteering and service.
Garden parties are held annually to create access for members of the Royal Family to meet with regular people who have contributed significantly to their communities.
Each summer, the monarch traditionally hosts two to three Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace, and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland.
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Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester also attend the gathering.
However, Prince William, Kate Middleton and their children did not join the family to mark the event. Royal Family shares the images from the party to their official twitter account.
The 74-year-old monarch wore top hat for the event, while Queen Camilla showed off her elegance in a blue and white dress , completing her look with a hat.
A garden party to celebrate the coronation will take place on May 9, with a party in Scotland to be held on July 4.
The king has also given special permission for the Duchess of Edinburgh to host a garden party for the Not Forgotten Association on May 16 at Buckingham Palace.
The Not Forgotten Association provides support to former members of the military who are living with disabilities and illnesses, and to serving personnel who have been wounded or are sick.
The palace says 2,000 people are expected to attend the event.