Queen Camilla has hosted a special garden party at Buckingham Palace for two young fundraising heroes.
Tony Hudgell and Lyla O’Donovan missed out on attending a party earlier this summer hosted by King Charles due to bouts of bad traffic and poor health.
However, all was not lost as the pair were invited back to the garden for their own special party hosted just for them, which saw the youngsters treated to a tea-for-two in the Summer House.
The Queen told them: “Really nice to get you here today – we thought we’d give you a special garden party.”
Tony missed the event in May after a lorry fire resulted in himself and his family being stranded on the M20, whilst Lyla was unable to attend as she was in hospital.
Instead, they were treated to a special event hosted by the Queen, where they sat down with their families for sandwiches, cakes and iced biscuits decorated to look like the King’s Guard, before being serenaded by the military band.
Tony, 9, was also presented with his British Empire Medal at the party. He is the youngest ever recipient of the honour, awarded to him for his services to the prevention of child abuse.
The nine-year-old had both legs amputated when he was a baby after he was horrifically tortured and abused by his birth parents, who were later jailed for 10 years in 2018.
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The pair were invited back to the garden for their own special party hosted just for them
Buckingham Palace/PA
Tony, who has raised over £1.8 million for the Evelina London Children’s Hospital in London, said he was “very happy” to be able to finally attend a party.
He has a piece of legislation named after him, Tony’s Law, which gives tougher prison sentences to those convicted of child cruelty and neglect.
Lyla, 11, has also raised money for seriously ill children, whilst herself battling a rare brain tumour which she has had since she was three.
She said: “Everyone made us feel so comfortable and made me feel super special, so thank you for this.
Tony said he was “very happy” to be able to finally attend a party
Buckingham Palace/PA
Tony missed the event in May after a lorry fire resulted in himself and his family stranded on the M20, whilst Lyla was unable to attend as she was in hospital
Buckingham Palace/PA
Paula Hudgell, Tony’s adoptive mother, said: “We were all extremely honoured to have been invited to Buckingham Palace for afternoon tea with The Queen – an experience we would never have dreamed of.
Lyla’s father, Paul O’Donovan, who serves with the 6 Rifles band, spoke of the incredible day: “Last week was an amazing moment for us as a family. Lyla’s health hasn’t been good over the past few weeks, and she’s been having so many more seizures and up to eight a week in school, so we always cherish everything we do.
“Lyla was gutted about missing the original garden party but she said she’s glad she missed it now as she’s got to meet the Queen and there’s no one else more important than her, apart from the King of course.”
Around 8,000 people attended the garden party in May, which was held to invite people who have made a positive impact in their community.
