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National

King Charles hosts first garden party as King, with Lionel Richie among 8,000 guests

Lionel Richie will perform at King Charles's coronation concert this weekend. (Reuters: Yui Mok)

Garden parties during the UK's summer months are a staple of the royal family's calendar, with the monarch and their family using the events to recognise and reward public service.

On Wednesday, King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, hosted their first garden party as the leaders of the Firm.

Attendees crowded onto the Buckingham Palace lawns for the event. (Reuters: Yui Mok)

More than 8,000 people were invited to the event at Buckingham Palace, including singer-songwriter Lionel Richie, who is set to perform at the King's coronation concert  - taking place a day after the coronation ceremony -  alongside Katy Perry, Take That and Andrea Bocelli.

Lionel Richie attended the royal garden party with girlfriend Lisa Parigi. (Reuters: Yui Mok)

Also among those invited to King Charles's inaugural garden party were 500 "Coronation Champions" — exceptional volunteers selected by the Royal Voluntary Service to mark this special coronation year.

Camilla, the Queen Consort, meets with members of the public during the party. (Reuters: Yui Mok)
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley attended with officers commended for acts of exceptional bravery. (Reuters: Yui Mok)

Representing the royal family alongside the King and Queen Consort at the garden party were Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Richard and his wife Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, was among members of the royal family at the event. (Reuters: Yui Mok)
Baroness Doreen Lawrence at the Garden Party. (Reuters: Yui Mok)

The royal garden parties were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. They resumed last year but Queen Elizabeth II was represented by other members of the royal family before her death in September.

A portrait of King Charles is held up in front of the Queen Consort at the garden party. (Reuters: Yui Mok)
King Charles's brother, Prince Edward, was also at the party. (Reuters: Yui Mok)

Three royal garden parties are usually held every summer season. The royal family has said that more than 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake are served throughout the events.

King Charles and the Queen Consort at their first garden party as head royals. (Reuters: Yui Mok)

The UK is gearing up for the King and Queen Consort's coronation on Saturday, more than 70 years after Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953.

King Charles and the Queen Consort meet people at the garden party. (Reuters: Yui Mok)
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