Why the, insert expletive, are they having a garden party at Buckingham palace today?

[hellokittymania]

Is it just me, or does anybody else think that it's in very bad taste? I just can't get my head around it.

looks like I will just be stamping from one thread to another tonight, muttering "fuck sake"

Of course it's a jolly. It's not exactly hard work standing around drinking Earl Grey.

Not with friends it isn't but a bunch of randomers, knowing that people will be expecting you to carry on/go into deep mourning (select as applicable)? Not how I would want to spend a day

Of course it's a jolly. It's not exactly hard work standing around drinking Earl Grey

I think having a royal family is ridiculous. But, given that we have got one, it is equally daft to think the 90 year old queen would rather stand around for hours, making small chat with the great unwashed, than put her feet up.

Highalert
They held a minutes silence then got stuck into the fizz and cucumber sarnies.

Tea is served, not fizz, well it was at the one I attended.

Cancelling it would be letting these evil terrorists win, we must not let that happen. Also this will be a once in a lifetime event for the people going.

My parents went to one a few yrs ago and from what i gather it was a long day of meeting greeting and standing around which is surely no picnic (see what i did there ) when you are 95 and 91 respectively. The duke looked frail and they both looked a bit shaken imo.
I am sure they would rather have had it cancelled if they had a choice!

I went to a garden party at at Buck palace once. It was a big effort. New frock hat shoes etc, transport down, getting through tonnes of security.
Yes we got a brew and nibbles and it was a hot day so we were given ice creams at half time. Very formal
And not something you could cancel easily, the cost of setting it up must be phenomenal and the confusion caused by turning people away would be huge. Lots of the guests are very elderly.
I think they had to go ahead and the minutes silence was the right thing to do.

Who the insert expletive stole your brain cell? Do people wander around thinking the queen organises these things on the morning of the event.

And no offence intended by my little quip above. I have felt v upset all day as no doubt most others have. Op hope you feel a bit stronger tomorrow. Sorry you have had a bit of a mauling. Surely not the day for any of that!

@high alert. As you must have already learnt, it's hardly a Royal Jolly. Tea, biscuits and cakes and a lovely compliment to those who are mostly volunteers in communities from all over the UK. Thousands are delighted to attend and those who don't agree with royalty just don't and say so. The Queen and others try to meet as many as possible. 2 hours on your feet at 90 is not great. They had a minutes silence. What would you have done? who would you ask to thank people in this way - someone whose politics you didn't agree with (Prime Minister or President) or someone who is apparently above it? I'm no royalist, but I would love your answers

I'm guessing that at the same event, a year from now, there will be several members of the emergency services from Manchester. As a big, well deserved, thank you. That's what the Garden Parties are all about.

The Queen gets paid enough to stand on her feet.If it's taking its toll on her she could always jack it all in.

I detest the Royals and all they stand for.

My sister is going to a wedding this weekend and she got an email earlier telling all the guests that they are planning on having a minutes silence before the speeches. I thought that was very touching.

I'm not a fan but who else does anything at 91?

Having tea is the British way. I think it's fine. I'm local to Manchester and all our local fb groups were filled with people opening their homes and offering tea. It's what what we do.

It's not what the Queen does though.I'm pretty sure she didn't fill the tea urn up herself.

Of course she doesn't. But she has to talk shite with people she doesn't actually know which seems fucking tedious to me

Lost patience with the 'insert expletive ' op. Thousands of people should have their plans cancelled but obviously nothing that affects the op should be cancelled 🙄

I used to be a volunteer for a charity and I got an invite it was for volunteers and other such people, quite a big deal and very interesting. It is not the fault of these type of people that people allowed to live in the UK want to kill and maim others.

Oh my god. The ignorance on MN today is astounding. I'm not some kind of super-brain who knows everything but I find it odd that someone could think a 'garden party' at Buckingham palace is a knees up only for the royal family

Im sure she does find it tedious.All the money shes got must make up for chatting to the plebs though.

As a couple of other people have said Garden parties are a way of honouring people who have made a contribution to the community in some way, like being paramedics, police, Nurses, doctors, ordinary people who got stuck in in a crisis, etc etc. Just the sort of people who have been working so hard in Manchester - so yes I guess some of them will receive an invitation to a garden party.

So to me it's like saying that we aren't going to be cowed by this kind of thing, and actually we will focus our attention on those who make a positive contribution to our lives and honour them, rather than those who try to divide us.

Yeah you are quite right - let's not bother honouring people who go to that sort of thing either

Thanks flapjack and you said it perfectly temps.