King Charles keeps calm as he's swarmed by partygoers


His Majesty King Charles III was, of course, the star attraction on Tuesday's Buckingham Palace garden party and royal fans swamped him for a picture


king charles in morning suit© Getty Images
Rachel Avery
Rachel AveryHomes Editor
2 minutes ago
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His Majesty King Charles III pulled out all the stops on Tuesday in top and tails for another Buckingham Palace garden party, alongside his wife, Queen Camilla. Naturally, the monarch was the star of the show and his hundreds of guests were keen to see him and speak with him. As the 77-year-old made his way around the lawn, mingling with guests through the designated 'lanes' a crowd of people began to form around the King, whom were focused on seeing the royal up close and snapping photographs. 

The images show that His Majesty remained professional and looked relaxed and smiley as rows of people began to lean over to capture their perfect shot of the royal. Many raised their phones in the air, to take a swift picture over the heads of others, all desperate for proof they'd seen the King. 

King Charles remained calm during the flurry of excitement © POOL/AFP via Getty Images
King Charles remained calm during the flurry of excitement
Hundreds of people attended the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace© POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Hundreds of people attended the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace
guests at garden party © Getty Images
A sea of guests surrounded Charles

At other points of the event, Charles was seen candidly chatting to his guests, cracking jokes and shaking hands as he usually does. Queen Camilla also worked the crowds and even stopped to receive a gift of a book from an author called Penny Pepper.

The royals looked glamorous for the party, with Charles in his morning suit and Queen Camilla in an Anna Valentine dress that she's worn on at least two previous occasions. Also in attendance were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, supporting His Majesty. 

King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the garden steps before the start of a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 12, 2026 in London, England. The garden party celebrates frontline workers from across the United Kingdom and recognises the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services© Getty Images
Charles and Camilla looked incredible as they stepped out together

King Charles' candid health chat

One of the guests that Charles stopped to speak to was Virginia Cavill, who was in a wheelchair, having recently fallen and broken her ankle and when the monarch discovered the story, he replied: "This is the trouble as you get older, I know it’s going to happen to me.” Virginia asked Charles how he was doing, to which he said: "“I’m OK, I totter along,” he said.

Fascinating garden party facts

This is the third of Buckingham Palace's parties and for most years there are three. It's estimated around 8,000 guests attend each garden party on a strictly invite-only basis and it is believed there are around 27,000 cups of tea served per party! 

King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the garden steps before the start of a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 12, 2026 in London, England. The garden party celebrates frontline workers from across the United Kingdom and recognises the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services. (Photo by Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images)© Getty Images
The third party of the season

The official Buckingham Palace website explains the dress code for such a party. "For a Garden Party, gentlemen wear morning dress or lounge suits, while women wear day dress, usually with hats or fascinators. National dress and uniform are also often worn."

Party prince and princess

Kate Middleton and Prince William at a garden party© Alamy Stock Photo
The royal couple were praised for their hosting

Last week, one of the garden parties was hosted by the future King of England, Prince William, alongside his wife the Princess of Wales. The royal couple were joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, alongside William's cousin, Zara Tindall. When HELLO! shared a video of the party on Instagram, our followers loved seeing the "classy" couple taking charge. "Catherine is sublime" and "Oh wow! What a beautiful couple they should be so proud of their achievements" were among the comments. 

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