Frequently asked questions for those who wish to nominate a councillor or directly employed council officer to attend this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Royal garden party alert
If your query is from a local authority, please do not contact Buckingham Palace directly about the Royal Garden parties. The Local Government Association Royal Garden Party Team is the main sponsorship organisation for local authorities in membership of the LGA and can be contacted at [email protected]
Invitations are in recognition of past service, and it is therefore appropriate that outgoing / council officer, rather than those newly elected, should be invited to attend.
No. Please check this before submitting their names to avoid any disappointment or embarrassment. This point is very important as the Palace has their own database which flags up people who have been before.
No substitutes are allowed once the LGA has submitted on behalf of local authorities.
Yes. However, please make certain that this option is selected on the online form.
Any persons who need assistance must be accompanied. Wheelchairs: Please note that the Palace holds wheelchairs only for use in the event of an emergency.
A party may number up to a maximum of four people only when it consists of the main guest, the main quest’s spouse or partner and their two children between the ages of 18 and 25. (This only applies to authorities with a quota of four and above).
No. All guests, nominated or accompanying must be resident in the United Kingdom.
Gentleman may wear morning coat, lounge suit or uniform (no medals)
Ladies may wear day dress with hat/fascinators or uniform (no medals). Trouser suits may be worn.
National dress may be worn
Chains of Office may be worn
Any individual aged 18 years or over employed by the council is eligible for nomination to attend with guest, within the council's quota.
No. Local authorities in membership of the LGA should contact the LGA and not the Palace. The LGA is the main sponsor and needs to complete special forms to return to the Palace.
Guests will be required to produce photographic ID on arrival in order to confirm their identity matches the name on their admittance card. The following ID documents can be used: Passport, UK Driving Licence, MOD90, UK Travel Document, Home Office issued Application Registration Card or Biometric Residents Permit. If a nominated guest has difficultly providing one of the aforementioned IDs please note this on the nomination spreadsheet along with what documentation they could provide.
For non-councillors, please ensure that MR, MRS, MISS OR MS are always indicated on the form.
For councillors please see below:
For a councillor coming on his own: use Councillor John Smith
For a councillor coming with his wife: use Councillor John and Mrs. Janet Smith.
For a female councillor coming on her own use: Councillor Mrs/Miss/Ms Janet Smith
For a female councillor coming with her husband: use Mr. John and Councillor Mrs Janet Smith (we still need her name for the index if she is the main guest).
No. Please use home addresses only.
No. Only councillors or council officers who are on the local authority’s payroll may attend.
No. Chief executives receive their invites separately from Solace.
Please note there will be no parking facilities offered this year with the exception of disability badge (Blue Badge) holders who may apply for parking. Regrettably no exceptions will be allowed. Requests for disabled access should be entered on the nomination form as in previous years. An additional form will be included with the nominee's invitation requesting details of their disability badge, upon receipt of which a parking label will be sent to the guest
There is limited seating within the Buckingham Palace grounds. Please do not reserve chairs as this can cause difficulties. Guests are kindly requested to give up their chair to any disabled, elderly or pregnant guests.
Guests are welcome to take photographs in the palace garden, using small cameras or camera-phones, but please keep cameras at a respectful distance while Members of the Royal Family are present to enable them to meet as many guests as possible. It is possible that these photographs will contain images of other guests at the Garden Party and that these images may be uploaded onto social media sites. Photography is not permitted in other parts of the palace, including the forecourt, quadrangle and terrace.
The following timings are approximate, and the Palace will confirm directly with those attending. 3.00pm approximately gates open and 6.30pm gates shut.
