Princess Anne set to hold historic garden party at Buckingham Palace for ex-servicemen

Princess Anne set to hold historic garden party at Buckingham Palace for ex-servicemen

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GB News
Hannah Ross

By Hannah Ross


Published: 28/03/2024

- 17:02

Updated: 28/03/2024

- 17:26

The Princess Royal will be hosting the Not Forgotten Association annual party

  • Princess Anne will host the charity party for ex-servicemen and women
  • The Garden Party has been held at the palace since King George V’s reign in 1921
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Princess Anne is set to hold a historic garden party at Buckingham Palace.

The Not Forgotten Association Garden Party has been held at Buckingham Palace since 1921.


Last year, the Duchess of Edinburgh hosted the special event, which is the only annual Garden Party at the palace besides the monarch’s.

The Not Forgotten Association is a charity that provides entertainment, leisure and recreation for ex-servicemen and women with disabilities or who are injured or sick.

Princess Anne

Princess Anne is set to host the Not Forgotten Association annual party

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The last time the Princess Royal hosted the event was in 2022, with her husband Sir Timothy Lawrence.

The Royal Family has been connected with the charity since it was established in 1920 to “provide comfort, cheer and entertainment for the wounded ex-servicemen still in hospital as a result of the Great War.”

Princess Mary was the first Royal Patron of The Not Forgotten Association, which she held until she died in 1956.

The Princess Royal succeeded the Duchess of Kent as Patron in the year 2000.

Princess Anne

Princess Anne attends the Not Forgotten garden party in 2022

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Other royals who have hosted the prestigious event include the late Queen Elizabeth, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and Prince Harry.

In the early years, there were often no royals in attendance and the event was much less formal with guests playing sports on the lawn.

King George V and Queen Mary allowed wounded servicemen to drink tea and “sit and play about as they like” in the garden.

Today the party is more formal and always hosted by a royal or a royal couple.

The Duchess of Edinburgh

The Duchess of Edinburgh speaks to guests at the garden party in 2023

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In 2023, a number of television stars were invited to the annual garden party including Susannah Reid, Vanessa Feltz and Sue Pollard.

At the event, ex-serviceman Mr Derenalagi talked about The Duchess of Edinburgh being able to “feel the pain every soldier went through.”

He said: “To be alive is a wonderful thing. I was almost dead in 2007, so to make it to the Paralympic Games was just a miracle.

“She asked about the injury, but also my rehabilitation, the mental trauma and support I had from military charities.

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Princess Anne

The Not Forgotten Association Garden Party has been held at Buckingham Palace since 1921

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“I could tell she felt the pain every soldier every veteran went through, mentally as well as physically.”

Princess Anne, Queen Camilla and the Duchess of Edinburgh have been increasing their royal engagements as senior members of the Royal Family step back due to health issues.

The King and Princess Kate are not performing any public engagements as they continue treatment for undisclosed forms of cancer.

Earlier this week, Princess Anne paid tribute to Lockerbie bombing victims in Dumfries.

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