Princess Anne is set to host a historic event at Buckingham Palace in May. The King’s steadfast sister, aged 73, will preside over a garden party for the Not Forgotten Association at the London residence on May 17th.
Established in 1921, the charity provides support to military veterans and wounded serving personnel through various social activities, with the garden party tradition at Buckingham Palace dating back to its inception.
Princess Anne assumed patronage of the charity from the Duchess of Kent in 2000, though its first royal patron was Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood. While the Princess Royal frequently hosts the Not Forgotten Association garden party, other royals who have participated include the Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie.
Additional garden parties are scheduled at the palace for May 8th and 21st, with royal attendance yet to be confirmed.
Given the King’s recent cancer diagnosis, it remains uncertain how many large-scale public events he will be able to attend in the coming months. However, a palace source revealed after the Easter Sunday service that Charles has responded positively to treatment, suggesting an optimistic outlook ahead.
Looking ahead, the royal family’s spring and summer calendar includes recurring annual events such as the Chelsea Flower Show, Buckingham Palace Garden Parties, Trooping the Colour, and Royal Ascot.
Royal author Robert Hardman said to a Podcast, speaking about how the likes of the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are continuing to support the King by increasing their engagements: “Garden parties are a huge part of the royal machine.
“At each one, 8,000 people are invited to tea and that’s well in hand now, those invitations have gone out, people are buying their hats and their new suits, and it’s going to be absolutely a day in the lifetime and no one wants to let them down and rearrange those things so that will carry on.”