King Charles and Queen Camilla’s first Buckingham Palace garden party: Inside the royal fashion parade on coronation anniversary

When May rolls around in London, Buckingham Palace’s garden parties always feel like a scene straight out of a fairy tale: fancy hats, rainbow dresses, and a crowd spilling across the palace lawns. This year, King Charles III and Queen Camilla hosted the first garden party of 2026 on the third anniversary of the king’s coronation, marking the special occasion.Per People, guests arrived with their umbrellas ready — no surprise there, since British spring weather almost guarantees a drizzle. And yet, despite the weather, more than a few thousand people showed up, all dressed to impress for one of the monarchy’s most cherished traditions. The royal family, smiling through the rain, made their way around the garden, chatting with community leaders, volunteers, veterans, and public service honorees from every corner of the United Kingdom.For the unversed, garden parties at Buckingham Palace go way back, since the 1860s, in fact, and each year, over 30,000 guests drink tea, snack on dainty sandwiches and cakes, and meet the royals as they wind their way along neatly arranged garden “lanes.” It’s a mix of one-part celebration and one-part swoonworthy fashion parade.So, what did everyone wear to the garden party?For starters, Queen Camilla brought soft spring energy with a pastel blue embroidered dress by Fiona Clare, a matching Philip Treacy hat, and her now-signature moonstone-and-diamond brooch, which is a mysterious piece that’s sparked plenty of jewelry gossip. The queen looked relaxed, smiling under her broad-brimmed hat and still finding time to link arms and laugh with charity guests in between umbrella-wrangling.Meanwhile, the king, Charles III, kept it classic in a morning suit, waistcoat, and top hat. This particular garden party felt extra special to him, which was a celebration of three years on the throne. He spent the afternoon working the crowd, shaking hands with folks recognized for their contributions across Britain — think community volunteers, healthcare heroes, military guests, you name it.As for the rest of the royal crew, they didn’t disappoint either. Princess Anne showed up in cream, with a meaningful brooch given to her by Queen Elizabeth on her wedding day, which was a quiet nod to family ties running through generations.Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, brought a splash of color in coral. And, naturally, there was an unexpected star: a spaniel named Vegas, a hearing dog who couldn’t resist bounding through the crowd for royal pets and a few laughs. Even Princess Anne couldn’t help smiling.