A backstage pass to the King's garden party

HELLO!'s Chief Content Officer Sophie Vokes-Dudgeon recounts her day at Buckingham Palace

The monarch has a unique ability to make whoever his gaze rests on feel the most important person in the world, for that minute

I knew a garden party at Buckingham Palace would be a special occasion. What I didn’t realise is that the King would be so personally invested in our enjoyment of the afternoon that he’d take a moment out of his day to check that I and HELLO!’s magazine editor Jessica Callan, had enjoyed enough tea in the back garden of Buckingham Palace!

To say it was the perfect ending to a magical afternoon is a huge understatement, and testament to the monarch’s ability to make absolutely everyone feel special and important whenever he comes into contact with them.

The day had started just before 3pm as Jessica and I arrived at the palace ready for security checks. Approaching Buckingham Palace in your finery, ready for a garden party with the King of England is an experience, that even as the Chief Content Officer at HELLO!, feels completely out of the ordinary.

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