King Charles hosts garden party filled with royals after ‘snubbing’ Prince Harry amid Invictus Games ceremony

With more than 8,000 guests at the party, King Charles was joined by close relatives, including Anne, Princess Royal

King Charles hosted Buckingham Palace's first garden party of the season on May 8. This grand event took place the same day Prince Harry arrived in London, UK, to attend an Invictus Games ceremony. While King Charles was joined by Queen Camilla and other members of the royal family, the Duke of Sussex attended the glitzy 10th-anniversary service at St. Paul's Cathedral alone.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla attending a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London. Picture date: Wednesday May 8, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story ROYAL Garden. Photo credit should read: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire Jordan Pettitt/Pool via REUTERS(via REUTERS)

King Charles hosts first garden party of season after ‘snubbing’ Prince Harry

The King and Queen kicked off 2024's garden party on Wednesday, continuing the long-standing royal tradition that dates back to the late 1800s. The grand celebration took place merely two miles away from the Invictus Games' 10th anniversary celebration. The party marks King Charles' one of very few public engagements since his cancer diagnosis.

With more than 8,000 guests at the party, King Charles was joined by close relatives, including Anne, Princess Royal; the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Edward and Sophie; and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Richard and Birgitte. However, Prince William and Kate Middleton were nowhere to be seen, per Mirror. The outlet reveals that King Charles donned a grey suit and light blue waistcoat.

Ahead of Prince Harry's arrival in the UK, there were speculations about a potential father-son meeting. However, a spokesperson for the Duke confirmed that King Charles' “full programme” would render it impossible. “In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the Duke will meet with his father while in the U.K. this week, it, unfortunately, will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full program,” the spokesperson told The Telegraph.

Although his immediate relatives remained absent at the ceremony, Prince Harry was notably joined by his cousin Louis Spencer, uncle Earl Charles Spencer and aunt Lady Jane Fellowes, “second dad” Mark “Marko” Dyer, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's wife Akshata Murty and his lawyer David Sherbourne. The Duke of Sussex was received with a roar of cheers from the crowd outside St. Paul's upon his arrival.