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Who is Tony Hudgell? Queen Camilla hosts special tea for the boy who missed palace garden party due to traffic
Tony Hudgell, a 9-year-old, had a special visit with Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace. Tony and his family were unable to attend royal family's formal garden party last month due to heavy traffic.
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Tony Hudgell, 9 years old, and his family missed a royal garden party due to heavy traffic
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Queen Camilla personally invited Tony and his family to Buckingham Palace for a special tea
Tony Hudgell, a 9-year-old boy, recently spent a special day with Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace. Last month, Tony and his family were unable to attend a royal garden party due to traffic as per PEOPLE.
His mother, Paula Hudgell, posted about their ordeal on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "Stuck on M20 for last 2 hours. Won't be making the King's Garden Party." The royal family politely responded, “Sorry to hear this, Tony! We were looking forward to seeing you too. Fancy trying again another day? Leave it with us…”
Tony Hudgell's special day at Buckingham Palace
On June 26, Queen Camilla followed through on her offer. Tony and his family received an invitation to Buckingham Palace for a special tea. They were joined by another young visitor, Lyla O'Donovan, 12, and her family.
Upon arrival, the families witnessed the Changing of the Guard before joining Queen Camilla in the garden's Summer House. Later, they took a tour of Buckingham Palace's Royal Mews.
During the event, Queen Camilla awarded Tony with the British Empire Medal (BEM). Tony was nominated for the 2024 New Year Honours for his charitable efforts. He co-founded the Tony Hudgell Foundation, which benefits a variety of causes.
Paula Hudgell expressed her gratitude, saying, “We were all extremely honored to have been invited to Buckingham Palace for afternoon tea with The Queen — an experience we would never have dreamed of. Everyone was so kind and thoughtful and made us feel comfortable and relaxed."
A memorable experience for Tony Hudgell
Paula stated that Tony spoke to The Queen as if they were old friends, that she was lovely with him, and that it was an exceptionally proud moment when the Queen bestowed Tony's BEM. She thanked everyone for making this one of the most memorable days they've ever had.
Lyla O'Donovan, who has raised funds for sick children while battling a rare brain tumor, also attended the event. She was recently named Inspirational Service Child of the Year by the North Yorkshire Council. Lyla reflected on the experience, saying, "Everyone made us feel so comfortable and made me feel super special, so thank you for this. A massive thank you to everyone involved yesterday, we are so grateful and feel so lucky to have been invited."
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