Life> Kaleidoscope

Afternoon tea with the Queen

By Christoph Driessen (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-05 09:44

Every year Britain's Queen Elizabeth II invites some of her subjects to a garden party at Buckingham Palace. The invitations are extended to people who have accomplished something significant or deserve recognition for having served the country. A lucky few even get to have a conversation with her.

"Her Majesty requests ... " is how the invitation begins.

A more exclusive social event - at least in the UK - could hardly be imagined. There are three garden parties every year, usually in July.

The ceremony has barely changed since the days of Queen Victoria who reigned through most of the 19th century. At 3 pm the gates of the palace open and about 8,000 guests stream in, shuffling straight through the royal residence and into the garden.

Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837. German Press Agency

The guests are supposed to represent a cross section of UK society. They are expected to dress in their finest clothing, although this can be differently defined, in the past some people have chosen headdresses featuring a cornucopia of vegetables over stylish hats.

Buckingham Palace park - the word garden is a huge understatement - is normally open only to members of the royal family and their guests.

Even from the top level of a double-decker bus, it's nearly impossible to catch a glimpse of the garden surrounded by a high wall. This green oasis is an urban retreat for rare plants and animals: Owls, bats, kingfishers and wild orchids make their homes there.

The palace still has unpleasant memories of a US visitor in 2003, namely then president of the United States, George W Bush, who hovered over the park in a helicopter and landed on the royal lawn.

At 4 pm the Queen steps onto the terrace and descends the stairs into the garden. With the help of her footmen the crowd parts to form a corridor through which she strolls.

Guests who were selected in advance are allowed to step a few meters forward and have a short conversation with the monarch. The other guests must remain in place, keeping a respectful distance. This is usually a big moment for the guests and many of them have to catch their breath.

The Queen is said to be a master of small talk. In the two or three minutes she allows for such encounters, she gives the person she is talking with the feeling that there is no more burning topic in the world than the one being discussed.

During one such conversation with a young woman, the guest's mobile phone began ringing.

The woman tried to ignore it, but the Queen told her to answer it, remarking that, "It might be someone important."

Guests are actually told to switch off their phones during the garden party.

After the Queen has greeted her guests they can turn their attention to the 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 miniature cakes served with tea and coffee.

Two bands add music to the atmosphere and there are 400 servers to see to guests' needs. Wherever a member of the royal family appears, the guests break into spontaneous applause.

Around 6 pm the garden party comes to an end. Some guests pocket a royal silver spoon as a memento. And everyone who attends has at the very least a story to tell at the end of their afternoon in the palace garden.