King Charles Hosts First Palace Garden Party of the Year as Prince Harry Steps Out for Invictus Event

It was revealed that Harry would be unable to meet with his father Charles during his visit to the U.K. due to the monarch's "full" schedule

Buckingham Palace garden parties are back — and King Charles made a surprise appearance as he hosted the first event of the season.

Charles and Queen Camilla opened the doors of the historic residence in London to thousands of guests on Wednesday for the first garden party of 2024, continuing a longstanding tradition. Garden parties have been held since the 1860s as a way for the monarch to recognize community members for their public service.  Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were also in attendance.

The garden party coincided with Prince Harry's attendance at the Invictus Games anniversary service at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Earlier this week, it was revealed that Harry would not be able to meet with his father Charles during his visit to the U.K. due to the monarch's "full" schedule.

In the spring and summer months, the sovereign traditionally hosts three garden parties at Buckingham Palace and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland, although more may be held. Over 30,000 guests each year are invited to spend the afternoon in the picturesque gardens of the royal residences.

Related: Prince Harry Will Not See Dad King Charles During U.K. Visit Due to Monarch's 'Full' Schedule

The first garden party of the season comes shortly after King Charles stepped out for his first public engagement since the palace announced on Feb. 5 that he was undergoing cancer treatment. On April 30, King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the Macmillan Cancer Centre at the University College Hospital London.

"I think he was really thrilled to be out," Camilla said the following day.

In addition to mingling with members of the royal family and strolling around the grounds, guests are treated to tea and cake. (The royals' website previously stated around 27,000 cups of tea are served and 20,000 slices of cakes are consumed!)

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Male attendees to garden parties traditionally wear morning dress or lounge suits while women wear day dresses paired with hats or fascinators. National dress and uniform can also be worn.

However, the weather isn't guaranteed to cooperate — in fact, it's not uncommon for the royal family members to carry umbrellas (or a "brolly," as the Brits call it) if there's a chance of rain. Queen Elizabeth once said the weather "can be a bit of a worry." "Well, you do rather hope the sun shines as when you invite 8,000 people to have tea on your lawn," she told a teacher at a 2019 event.

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