Buckingham Palace has initiated preparations for an upcoming special event.
Reports indicate that Princess Anne has assumed the responsibility of hosting a historic garden party at the Palace. The Not Forgotten Association Garden Party has been a tradition at Buckingham Palace since 1921.
In the previous year, the Duchess of Edinburgh hosted this unique event, which is the only annual garden party at the palace aside from those hosted by the monarch.
The Not Forgotten Association is a charity that provides entertainment, leisure and recreation for ex-servicemen and women with disabilities or who are injured or sick.
The last time the Princess Royal hosted the event was in 2022, with her husband Sir Timothy Lawrence.
The Royal Family has been connected with the charity since it was established in 1920 to “provide comfort, cheer and entertainment for the wounded ex-servicemen still in hospital as a result of the Great War.”
Princess Mary was the first Royal Patron of The Not Forgotten Association, which she held until she died in 1956.
The Princess Royal succeeded the Duchess of Kent as Patron in the year 2000.
Other royals who have hosted the prestigious event include the late Queen Elizabeth, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and Prince Harry.
In the early years, there were often no royals in attendance and the event was much less formal with guests playing sports on the lawn.
King George V and Queen Mary allowed wounded servicemen to drink tea and “sit and play about as they like” in the garden.
Today the party is more formal and always hosted by a royal or a royal couple.
Princess Anne, Queen Camilla and the Duchess of Edinburgh have been increasing their royal engagements as senior members of the Royal Family step back due to health issues.
The King and Princess Kate are not performing any public engagements as they continue treatment for undisclosed forms of cancer.
Earlier this week, Princess Anne paid tribute to Lockerbie bombing victims in Dumfries.
