Reception at Buckingham Palace

Wow, That Was Surreal!

When I received the royal invitation, it felt like a dream come true. The letter itself was precious, sealed with the Royal Crest - there it was, right in front of me!

Before the event, panic set in as I rushed to find the perfect outfit. I’m not exactly a fan of shopping on a good day, but this time, after three days of frenzied searching, I ended up buying not one, not two, but three dresses!

The night before the event, sleep eluded me. It was that same feeling a child gets on Christmas Eve or heading to Disney World, except this was real. It was happening.

Since they had given me a parking pass, I decided to drive down. Why not, right?

Arriving at the palace gates, the reality started to sink in. There was a security check of the car (note to self: always wash it next time). The dogs were acting up, and they needed to check the boot (I may have forgotten about the mess in there).

Finally, I was cleared – phew!

As I drove through the main gates, I couldn’t help but smile. I’m actually driving through to Buckingham Palace! The archway was approaching, and my heart was racing. The nervousness intensified as I spoke with the police at the entrance, even though it felt like they were happy to chat with visitors.

Once inside, we were asked to leave our phones in the cloakroom, which was a shame, especially because I had so many moments I wanted to capture.

I walked into the amazingly red ballroom, where a sea of faces from other regional media representatives were mingling. Canapés and drinks were being passed around, and it felt surreal not being able to take a picture of it all.

Suddenly, a commotion near the front of the room caught my attention. I wasn’t going to let this moment slip away, so I maneuvered my way forward to get a glimpse of the King.

It all happened in a blur, but getting the chance to speak with him and shake his hand was a memory I will treasure forever. Of course, I wish I had my phone to capture it, but some moments are just meant to be kept in the heart.