Queen Camilla’s Heartwarming Tea Party: ‘Tony Chatted to The Queen as if They Were Old Friends’
Young fundraiser Tony Hudgell was left disappointed when heavy traffic forced him to miss a garden party at Buckingham Palace. However, Queen Camilla ensured he didn’t miss out on the royal experience by treating him to a private tea party.
Tony, nine, and 11-year-old Lyla Donovan, who also missed the official party due to traffic, were welcomed into the Summer House in the palace gardens. “He said, ‘stuck on M20 for the last 2 hours,'” Tony’s mother, Paula Hudgell, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) at the time. “Won’t be making the King’s Garden Party.” There, they and their families joined Her Majesty for a delightful spread of sandwiches, scones, and King’s Guard-designed iced biscuits.
The Queen also presented Tony with his British Empire Medal following his nomination in the New Year’s Honours for services to the prevention of child abuse. Tony raised almost £2 million for the Evelina Children’s Hospital, which has the Princess of Wales as its patron. Tony, the youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour, was treated at the hospital after enduring horrific abuse as a baby that led to the amputation of both his legs.
Sorry to hear this, Tony! We were looking forward to seeing you too.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 8, 2024
Fancy trying again another day? Leave it with us… @paula_hudgell https://t.co/qAS4iq7bYS
In May, when Tony’s adoptive mum Paula shared his disappointment about missing the garden party on X (formerly Twitter), she received a reply from The Royal Family account saying: “Sorry to hear this, Tony! We were looking forward to seeing you too. Fancy trying again another day? Leave it with us…”
Tony and Lyla, who has a rare brain tumour and has raised funds for seriously ill children, had earlier watched the Changing of the Guard from inside the palace forecourt and were later taken on a tour of the Royal Mews.
Lyla said, “Everyone made us feel so comfortable and made me feel superspecial so thank you for this. We are so grateful and feel so lucky to have been invited.” Paula added, “Tony chatted to The Queen as if they were old friends and she was lovely with him. It was an exceptionally proud moment when the Queen gave Tony his BEM. We would like to thank everyone who made this one of the most memorable days we will ever have.”
Meanwhile, a new portrait of King Charles III was unveiled to mark Armed Forces Day, an annual celebration of personnel, service families, veterans, and cadets in the Armed Forces community. Taken by photographer Hugo Burnard last November in the Grand Corridor at Windsor Castle, it shows His Majesty, who is Head of the Armed Forces, wearing his Field Marshal No1 Full Ceremonial Frock Coat with medals, sword, and decorations.
To mark the occasion, Queen Camilla, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Lancers, the regiment in which her father Major Bruce Shand served, released a video message. She recalled her recent visit to Normandy with the King for the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations and thanked members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families for their service. “As the proud daughter of an Army officer, I know something of the impact military life has on your loved ones – you too are heroes,” she told them.