London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Queen to miss royal garden parties this summer

Queen to miss royal garden parties this summer

Other members of the Royal Family will stand in for the Queen when the traditional garden parties return this summer, Buckingham Palace has said.

The Queen, who is 96 and has mobility problems, has cut back on several engagements in recent months.

More than 30,000 people are usually invited each year to Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

A Palace spokesman said details of which royals would attend would be confirmed later.

The first garden party in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year is set to take place next Wednesday at Buckingham Palace, with others following on 18 and 25 May, as well as on 29 June at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, her official residence in Edinburgh.

Because of the pandemic, it is the first time in three years members of the public have been invited to the Queen's home for the garden parties.

The parties are used by Buckingham Palace to recognise and reward public service, with guests nominated by a network of sponsors including Lord-Lieutenants, government departments, the armed forces and faith groups.


The Queen, a former private secretary once quipped, was "as strong as a yak, had very good legs and could stand for a long time". And the garden parties require a lot of standing.

A selection of guests is gently shepherded into semi-circles and the hosting royal makes their way around the group chatting with each one.

It is a fair amount of time on one's feet for anyone. For a 96-year-old it is a big ask. And for a 96-year-old with mobility issues, it is just too much. Today's announcement is among the least surprising of the royal year.

The Queen is not immobile. She made her way, on her son Prince Andrew's arm, to her seat at Westminster Abbey a month ago for the service of thanksgiving for Prince Philip.

Photos of her meeting and greeting officials and visiting politicians are put out pretty regularly by the Palace.

But an hour or so of walking, standing and chatting at a garden party is currently beyond her.

An appearance at the State Opening of Parliament next week - with its long public walk to the throne - must be unlikely, as the Queen prepares to celebrate her 70th Jubilee in early June.

The decision for other royals to host the parties comes after the Queen reached the 70th year of her reign in February and overcame a bout of Covid in the same month.

She celebrated her 96th birthday privately on 21 April at her Sandringham estate.

Since the pandemic began, the Queen has spent most of her time living at Windsor Castle, rather than at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen met Holocaust survivor and educator Gena Turgel at a garden party in 2015


Last October, the monarch spent a night in hospital and for three months was under doctors' orders to only carry out light duties, missing a number of prominent events.

The Queen has been using a walking stick in public since last October, when she attended a service marking the centenary of the Royal British Legion.

There has been no announcement yet about whether the Queen will attend the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday.

After that, there will be a series of events to mark the Platinum Jubilee over an extended bank holiday weekend between 2 and 6 June.

Pub opening hours in England and Wales will be extended to 01:00 BST and, on 2 June, more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians will take part in Trooping the Colour on the Queen's official birthday.

On 4 June, 10,000 members of the public will attend a concert in front of Buckingham Palace, with George Ezra among the performers.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×