Tea with the Queen

(CNS): A chance to visit the queen is open to members of the public, who are invited to submit applications to attend Her Majesty’s Royal Garden Parties, which are scheduled for July at Buckingham Palace. Submissions must be made to the Chief Secretary’s Office by Friday, 13 February 2009. Applicants who wish to attend one of the parties should be citizens or nationals of the Cayman Islands and be in the United Kingdom during any of the below-mentioneddates, a GIS release states. It may also be possible to include a few British guests living overseas.

The parties will be held on three consecutive Tuesdays: 7, 14 and 21 July. Successful applicants will be allowed to bring their spouses or companions and up to two unmarried children between the ages of 18 and 25. To apply, the following information must be submitted, in writing: the applicant’s surname, forename, title, and decorations; occupation; marital status; name of accompanying spouse, or of a companion (must be at least 18 years old); names and ages of accompanying children; a reliable UK contact address (not the address of a bank or hotel); and a preferred date of attendance, as well as dates that would not be convenient.

Applicants should note that they will not automatically receive invitations and that invitations are not intended for diplomatic service staff on leave or for persons who have previously attended a Royal Garden Party.

The written application must be submitted by Friday, 13 February, to the Chief Secretary’s Office in the Government Administration Building, or e-mailed to Betty-Ruth.Ebanks@gov.ky. Successful candidates who change their travel plans and are then unable to attend must immediately inform the Chief Secretary’s Office. For more information, contactBetty Ebanks, the Personal Assistant to the Honourable Chief Secretary, at phone 244-2432.