Buckingham Palace announces garden parties to mark King Charles's coronation

The events have been held at the palace since the 1860s

Britain's King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla arrive at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. AFP

Three coronation garden parties will be held at royal palaces to celebrate the crowning of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla, Buckingham Palace has announced.

On May 3, three days before the historic ceremony in Westminster Abbey, thousands of guests will gather on the lawns of Buckingham Palace and again on May 9 — three days after the big day.

On July 4, another garden party will be hosted at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh during Holyrood Week.

The garden parties — a staple part of the traditional royal calendar — will be the first of the king’s reign.

Many of the 500 Coronation Champions, recognised for their volunteering by the Royal Voluntary Service, of which Queen Consort Camilla is patron, have been invited to the garden parties, as well as one of the official coronation festivities.

The king has also given permission for two additional garden parties.

The Duchess of Edinburgh will host the Not Forgotten Association annual garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 16.

The tri-service charity provides entertainment, leisure and recreation for ex-servicemen and women with disabilities or illnesses and serving personnel who are wounded, injured or sick.

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And on May 24, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will host the Royal Kennel Club garden party to mark the charity’s 150th anniversary.

The Royal Kennel Club is the largest organisation in the UK devoted to dog health, welfare and training. Queen Elizabeth II, known for her love of dogs especially corgis, was patron for 70 years.

More than 8,000 guests usually attend each traditional garden party.

Members of the royal family enter from the West Terrace and stand for the national anthem, before circulating down lanes of people on the lawn.

Yeomen of the Guard, dressed in their red and gold ceremonial costumes, form part of the proceedings, and guests are free to stroll around the vast expanse of the gardens while a military band plays background music.

Garden parties have been held at Buckingham Palace since the 1860s when Queen Victoria began what were known as “breakfasts”, although they took place in the afternoon.

Guests also queue in tea tents and take their seats on nearby chairs. About 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake are consumed at each party.