King Charles hosted his first Buckingham Palace garden party on Wednesday. His mother would be shocked! During QEII’s reign, garden party szn started in maybe mid-to-late May. Never the first week of May! I get why Charles wanted to host his first garden party before the coronation though, especially since there seemed to be exceptionally good weather on Wednesday, unlike the drizzle, downpours and thunderstorms forecasted for coronation day. Speaking of, depending on when the thunderstorms are scheduled to appear on Saturday, the big fly-past by the Red Arrows will likely get canceled. The working royals were supposed to appear on the fakakta balcony and all watch the flypast. Now they’ll just have to stand there and gawp at each other.

For the garden party, Queen Camilla wore a familiar-looking Bruce Oldfield coatdress. She recycled this – I remember that she wore the dress last Easter, specifically for the 2022 Royal Maundy service. The “stripes” are what I remember – it’s very unflattering and circus-tent-esque. Her hat doesn’t match and neither do her shoes. Usually, QEII wore lighter colors for her garden parties, and she expected royal women to dress similarly. Pinks, pale greens, powder blues. Not navy and white. Oldfield has also designed Camilla’s coronation dress/gown. I’m curious what that will be. I’m picturing something shapeless and off-white. Meanwhile, Charles had the wording of the official coronation prayer changed so that now his side chick will be officially called Queen Camilla:

The King has directed a change in the wording of official prayers for the royal family, replacing “Camilla the Queen Consort” with “Queen Camilla” from the day of the coronation.

A Royal Warrant was issued on Wednesday, three days before Charles and Camilla are set to be crowned in Westminster Abbey. It indicates that, with effect from May 6, every prayer for the royal family in any form of service authorised for use in the Church of England should use “Queen Camilla” instead of the words “Camilla the Queen Consort”.

Charles is, as monarch, the Supreme Governor of the Church, and the change also amends the prayer for the royal family in the Church of England’s Book of Common Prayer.

The prayer will now read: “Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness, we humbly beseech thee to bless Queen Camilla, William Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, and all the Royal Family: Endue them with thy Holy Spirit, enrich them with thy heavenly grace; prosper them with all happiness; and bring them to thine everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

[From The Independent]

Deep sigh. I guess he couldn’t change it to Queen Side Chick, First of Her Name, Homewrecker Extraordinaire, She Who Leaves Bodies In the Streets.

Also: The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were also in attendance at the garden party. Charles really made Sophie and Edward disappear after he gave them the DoE titles.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.