Royal Garden Parties

Every year His Majesty The King gives four Royal Garden Parties and welcomes a total of over 30,000 guests to spend a relaxed afternoon in the beautiful gardens of Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse. At each Garden Party, around 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake are consumed! Garden Parties are an important way for The King 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, guests are invited via a long-established network of sponsors, including the Lieutenancies of each county. In North Yorkshire we nominate guests for invitation from a cross section of the community. It is not possible to acquire invitations to The King's Garden Parties through direct application to Buckingham Palace.

If you feel that someone in North Yorkshire has made a major contribution to life in the community, or has provided exceptional service in any other way, you could recommend that they are invited to this special event. To nominate someone for a garden party invitation, please email the Lieutenancy Office with the individual's details including title, name, address, contact number and, most importantly, include a detailed description of why you consider that the person you are nominating is deserving of an invitation.

Although you can nominate someone at any time throughout the year, the names are gathered at the beginning of December when consideration is given as to which 50 should go forward to the Palace. If your nomination is unsuccessful in the first year, we will keep that nomination for a further year unless you tell us otherwise.

If you have been invited to a Royal Garden Party and would like some guidance on what to expect and what to wear, take a look at the Royal Website where you can find out more.