Buckingham Palace Parties Return, Without Queen Elizabeth

The Mall is seen almost empty in front of Buckingham Palace, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, April 30, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
The Mall is seen almost empty in front of Buckingham Palace, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, April 30, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
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Buckingham Palace Parties Return, Without Queen Elizabeth

The Mall is seen almost empty in front of Buckingham Palace, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, April 30, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
The Mall is seen almost empty in front of Buckingham Palace, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, April 30, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

Members of the British royal family will stand in for Queen Elizabeth when the traditional garden parties return this summer at Buckingham Palace, her office said on Thursday.

Mobility issues have meant that the 96-year-old monarch has been forced to cut back on public engagements, and the Palace said members of the family would represent her at the garden parties which are returning after the COVID-19 pandemic led to a two-year hiatus.

Traditionally, the queen hosts three annual garden parties at her home in central London and another at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh but these have had to be cancelled because of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The Buckingham Palace parties will be held in May and the one in Scotland in June, Reuters reported.

"Her Majesty The Queen will be represented by other Members of the Royal Family at this year’s Garden Parties, with details on attendance to be confirmed in due course," her office said in a statement.

At the start of June there will also be four days of nationwide celebrations to mark the queen's 70th year on the throne, including a service of thanksgiving and a pageant through central London.



Coffee Overtaking Tea Culture in the UK

“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)
“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)
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Coffee Overtaking Tea Culture in the UK

“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)
“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)

Discover the hidden gem of the UK's coffee culture, where vibrant independent cafes outshine the chains, offering a unique blend of flavors and atmospheres.

“Fancy a brew?” “I'll put the kettle on then.” Hearing those words are no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK, The Daily Express newspaper reported on Monday.

It said grabbing a coffee either on the go or at a café is as part of British culture these days as it is in Italy.

But while every person has its favorite chain, be it Pret, Starbucks, Costa or Cafe Nero, nothing beats finding a decent independent coffee shop one can call home especially when it can seem high streets are dominated by the same chains.

So with the demand for coffee only growing, where is the best spot in the UK to find an independent coffee shop?

A study by Reviva Coffee reveals the UK city that is the hidden gem when it comes to thriving coffee culture.

And it probably isn't where you'd expect. In fact this county is synonymous with tea. Yorkshire Tea, to be precise.

However the study discovered the best UK city to find independent coffee shops is in the Yorkshire city of Leeds. It has a staggering 584 coffee shops, of which 86.3% are independent, and just under 14% are chains.

Placing second is Edinburgh. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or just needing a cosy pit stop, Edinburgh has you covered with its outstanding coffee scene with 560 shops, 85% of which are independents.

In third for best UK cities for independent coffee shops is Bristol which has 347 coffee shops, 86.3% of which are independent.