Would you go to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party?

axisus

I've been sorting out stuff for the top brass recently at work. The guy in question is always very appreciative as I put myself out massively at times. Anyway, he rang up today to say thanks for all my efforts and offered me an invite for two at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party. I thought it was very nice of him but I declined. I am totally not the sort of person to go to something like that, I'd better not tell Mrs A or I'll be in trouble!

My boss thought I was mad to turn it down. Would you go hob-nobbing with posh people?

DesVegas

Will there be cake? hell yeah i'd go, sure be better than spending a day in my humdrum town

BRISTOL86

I’d go, sounds like it’d be something a bit different and no doubt the free chow would be decent. 

AlexC

I completely get why you wouldn’t go (I wouldn’t), however you would’ve found that most folk there would just be regular Joes invited to a Garden Party such as yourself. Second part of your question - I mix with ‘posh’ people all the time. Just people. No particular failings or heroics - same as anyone.

axisus

I should add that I'm terminally antisocial and can't stand any kind of gatherings except close family. 

DesVegas

axisus said:

I should add that I'm terminally antisocial and can't stand any kind of gatherings except close family. 

axisus, that is pretty obvious to most of us here

ICBM

My dad went to one about twenty or so years ago when he was on a government committee.

He said it was dreadful - basically you spend your whole time trying to find anything to say to a bunch of people you have nothing in common with, probably can't stand, and who have no interest in what you do or why you're there (or vice versa). You probably won't get to meet any of the royal family, if you're even interested in that.

And the tea is the worst in the known universe. I can't remember what he said about the food but I doubt it was much better.

So no, I would not go either.

Ravenous

No. Wisdom awarded for dodging a bullet.

I'm not one of these who's for abolition of the royals, but I wouldn't want to grovel at their gate thank you very much. (Note I don't mean actually being introduced to them, just the act of grovelling on their property puts me off.)

Stavros

Where there is a choice, as here, no one should feel obliged to do anything they don’t want to do, free society and all that.

I would probably go as I’m a nosy bastard, but you clearly wouldn’t feel at all comfortable going, so respect to you for saying no.

jellyroll

DesVegas said:

Will there be cake? 

Battenburg obvs

Garthy

Yes, I used to print the invitations in the 1990s and the majority of attendees (who in turn became our customers) that I managed to speak to afterwards thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

thecolourbox

I wouldn't go personally, garden parties like that are not like real parties and I think... What are the chances the royals would come to a party I was arranging? To be fair though I care about the Royals about as much as I care for onions in food, as long as I don't encounter them I don't resent their existence. 

ArchtopDave

Ultimately it's your choice. My mum went years ago. She did a load of voluntary social work, and was so good at it that the Local Council used to hand their difficult cases on to her to sort out. She enjoyed going.

Brize

Wis'd. I'm fascinated by royal history but the hob-nobbing makes me shiver at the thought.

AlexC

Reminds me of the joke - 
The East Cheam Bowling Club were invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen. They all line up and Her Majesty walks in. One of the club, Old Joe, immediately dashes forward and frantically starts licking the back of her head. All hell breaks loose. Old Joe is lead off by Security. The Captain of the club apologises - “Very sorry about that, Ma’am - it’s just that he’s only ever seen you on a stamp before.”

sev112

I have to go, I live there and everyone expects to see me.  I do wish they wouldn’t bow and curtsy all the time, I’d just prefer to talk about beer and guitars.  One would be surprised how many of us who live there are actually anarchists, but one has to act the part ...

Sassafras

I would.
We can only bring down the Establishment from within!

sev112

For all the reasons that people are saying not to go , are all the reasons you should go.

you don’t have to bow and scrape, and everyone else is just a person like you.  You go for interest, because it is different, because you can meet some other people who are probably really nice and normal

usedtobe

I wouldn’t.

camf

My missus and I declined too. I'd be happy to see an end to the whole royal family business so it seemed the worst sort of hypocracy to go along. Pretty easy choice really.

lustycourtier

Never In a million years. My wife made us go to the gates last year and I felt sick at the vulgarity of it.