A staple in the London summer season calendar is the Buckingham Palace garden parties. Every May, when the weather is reasonably nice, Buckingham Palace opens the gates and welcomes hundreds of visitors from around the United Kingdom, dressed in their fineries, to enjoy tea and cake at the palace—and hopefully meet a royal or two. As King Charles hosted the first garden party of 2026, former royal gardener Jack Stooks shared his memories—and a top tip—from those iconic afternoons in the Buckingham Palace gardens. “It's a really lovely thing to be invited to and to experience,” the former royal gardener shared.
