Prince William, Princess Kate host first Buckingham Palace garden party

Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales hosted their first Buckingham Palace garden party of 2026 on Friday on behalf of King Charles III, continuing a royal tradition celebrating individuals making positive contributions to society.

The event came just days after King Charles hosted another garden party at Buckingham Palace earlier in the week. However, the monarch stepped aside on Friday to allow the Prince and Princess of Wales to lead the celebrations.

The royal couple were joined by Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as their cousin Zara Tindall.

This marked the second time William and Kate have hosted a Buckingham Palace garden party, following their first event in 2025. During last year’s gathering, the couple honoured individuals who had made significant contributions to their communities, including the family of late photographer Liz Hatton, whom they had previously met at Windsor Castle.

This year’s event focused on guests connected to the couple’s patronages, military affiliations and personal charitable initiatives. Among those invited were Rhian Mannings, founder of the bereavement support charity 2wish, and Sam Stables, whose organisation works to tackle mental health stigma within farming communities.

The garden party featured traditional royal hospitality and brought together guests from across the United Kingdom in recognition of their public service and charitable work.