Buckingham Palace Garden Party - english favourites black tea

STORY: every May the Queen holds a garden party at Buckingham Palace - a lovely English springtime tradition. The Queen invites between 3000 and 4000 guests. Regal cucumber and watercress sandwiches are served on white bread, smoked Scottish salmon pate, delicately scented earl grey cakes and most importantly, tea, are served on this prestigious occasion. The invitees include exotic guests from the far-flung reaches of the former British Empire. The common thread amongst them is that they have each made a contribution to the British Commonwealth of nations. The guests rub shoulders with lords, earls, dukes, duchesses and ladies from aristocratic British society. At about 3:00 p.m. the Royal Family make their entrance - the Queen, Prince Philip, perhaps even Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew. You can see the scene now -the Queen, Prince Philip and the Queen Mother, all dressed in formal spring party clothing, mingling with the excited crowd.shaking hands, smiling, stopping briefly to chat with the guests, making eye contact and the royal nod of the head to acknowledge one's presence for those unable to personally meet the Royal Family.