King Charles received praise for his recent address to the US Congress as he and Queen Camilla hosted the first garden party of the season at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, celebrating the dedication of emergency responders. Despite grey skies, the spirits of the 8,000 attendees remained high, with guests dressed in colourful attire, lounge suits, and national dress. They enjoyed tea, cakes, and sandwiches at the event, which saw all working royals present except the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Yeomen of the Guard, in their distinctive red and gold ceremonial dress, processed through the gardens, while military bands entertained with wartime classics and upbeat jazz numbers. The King, appearing on the palace’s West Terrace as the national anthem played, wore a morning suit with a pale-yellow waistcoat and a top hat, which he removed before greeting guests. The Queen opted for a pastel blue embroidered coat dress by Fiona Clare, complemented by a matching Philip Treacy hat and a moonstone and diamond brooch. The royals moved through lines of invitees, shaking hands, inquiring about their work, greeting service dogs, and directing guests towards the tea tent.
Praise for the King’s US Speech
During his interactions, the King also received praise for his recent speech to Congress during his US state visit. One guest told him: "I loved your speech in America. It was amazing, and it made me laugh so much." Charles responded with a laugh, saying: "Thank you very much."
Paramedic’s Powerful Story
Among the 8,000 guests, a paramedic who was assaulted on duty shared her powerful story with His Majesty. Claire Swinbourne, a team leader paramedic with the North East Ambulance Service, recounted her experience of being attacked on Christmas Day last year while attempting to provide care. Ms Swinbourne, from Northumberland, had stopped to assist a man sitting alone on a roundabout in a remote area when he became "very distressed" and physically assaulted her.
The King acknowledged the severity of such incidents, telling her: "He mentioned that assaults on emergency workers aren’t acceptable, and he asked how I’d overcome that and it’s about helping people." Ms Swinbourne, who has been a paramedic for 21 years, responded: "I didn’t join the service to be assaulted, I joined the service to help people, and that’s what I continue to do." The attack left her right arm debilitated, and she still experiences a loss of sensation in her fingers almost six months later. Her assailant received a suspended prison sentence. Nominated by colleagues for her advocacy, Ms Swinbourne expressed her honour at the invitation, stating: "It makes me feel overwhelmed in that, ‘am I deserved of it?’, but yes, I am, and it’s about enjoying the day." She added: "The more we explain that it’s not acceptable and that it won’t be tolerated… it won’t happen, and we will push for prosecution."
Queen Camilla’s Engagement
Meanwhile, the Queen engaged with representatives from charitable organisations, including SafeLives, a domestic abuse charity of which she is patron. The organisation provides training to professionals and first responders, alongside support for survivors, aligning with Camilla’s extensive work highlighting victims of assault, rape, and sexual abuse. Speaking to trustee Elizabeth Hughes, the Queen remarked that the charity is doing "such a fantastic job", adding: "I’m so pleased, because it’s really taken off and I’m very, very pleased to be a part of it."
Wednesday’s gathering marked the first of three garden parties scheduled at Buckingham Palace this month to honour individuals who serve their communities. A fourth event is planned for the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in June.
