It is such an honour and privilege to be awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) on HM The King’s First Birthday Honours List in 2023 for my services to disabled people. I never expected to receive this recognition, and I am absolutely delighted and still can’t quite believe it. I’m still wondering who nominated me. Here is a recap of the day I received my BEM and attended the Royal Garden Party.
My journey began over ten years ago when I started my blog, Simply Emma. I wanted to share my experiences as a wheelchair user and help others find accessible things to do, from fun days out to holidays, and accessible walks to gigs and festivals, to product reviews and travel tips. Raising awareness about disabilities, especially Muscular Dystrophy, and promoting the importance of accessibility has always been a goal.
British Empire Medal (BEM) Presentation
I was presented with my BEM by the Lord Lieutenant on behalf of King Charles at a special ceremony attended by my partner, Allan, and my parents. Also present were the provost of my local council and the Deputy Lieutenant.
We enjoyed tea and scones with them, and it was really nice to see how interested they were in hearing about me and my work as a disability advocate, the challenges faced by disabled people, and some of the progress that has been made.
It was lovely to celebrate that day with my mum, dad, and, of course, Allan, who plays a massive role in my work. ‘Simply Emma’ wouldn’t be the same without Allan. You may not always see Allan in photos, but he is always there with me, behind the camera capturing everything in photo and video, driving me everywhere, and being an all-around amazing travel companion. We make a great wee team!
Royal Garden Party Invitation & Dress Code
The following month, after receiving my official invitation, I attended the Royal Garden Party at The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. The invitations to the Royal Garden Party come with a specific dress code: men can wear suits or kilts, and women have the choice of day dresses or suits, along with a hat or fascinator.
It’s not every day you get to dress up for a special afternoon and explore the grounds of the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. I was thrilled to bring Allan and my mum along as my guests, and what a lovely day we had.
Speaking of dressing up, I don’t usually wear formal clothes, so I really struggled to find outfits for both occasions. I knew I wanted to wear dresses and look the part, but as a wheelchair user, finding clothes that fit well while sitting down is quite difficult. Usually, I’m in casual clothes, so dressing up is a bit out of my comfort zone.
The dress hunt lasted months, and I lost count of how many dresses I tried on, but in the end, I chose a green midi dress for my BEM investiture and a blue floral embroidered dress for the Royal Garden Party.
I love both dresses, but the blue dress was my favourite. It gave me Bridgerton vibes. I absolutely adored it; the detail of the lace and floral design was beautiful. I paired it with a pale blue fascinator hat and cream- coloured bow slingback heeled shoes.
I got so many compliments from strangers saying how much they loved my dress. I’m in need of another occasion to wear this dress again, although I have a family wedding this year that may be the perfect opportunity.
Both my mum and my partner looked amazing in their outfits. And since it was a special occasion, my mum arranged for both of us to have our makeup professionally done, which was a first for us. The makeup artist also curled my hair.
Royal Garden Party at The Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh
We were directed to the blue badge parking area at the entrance when we arrived at The Palace of Holyroodhouse. We had to bring our invitations and ID with us. After the police checked us through, we entered the palace grounds.
A track mat was placed on top of the grass, leading everyone into the main garden area. Beyond that, however, there were no mats, just grass. Thankfully, it didn’t rain; otherwise, I would have found it quite difficult to drive across the grass. Not to mention, it would have been difficult for everyone to keep their shoes clean and from getting stuck in the wet grass.
Once inside, we made our way to the tea tent, which was decorated with tall flower arrangements of blue hydrangeas and pink and purple lupins. Tea was served from silver urns, and we were free to fill our rectangular plates with cakes and sandwiches.
Everything was presented beautifully, with crustless sandwiches, Victoria sponges, profiteroles, strawberry tarts, and square chocolate-covered cakes adorned with crowns.
All the tables were taken, but we managed to find some chairs to eat our sandwiches and cakes. Since we didn’t have a table, I couldn’t eat independently, so my mum and Allan had to feed me, which wasn’t ideal.
We enjoyed the food while people-watching and admiring everyone’s outfits, all while listening to the live bands that provided music.
Shortly before 5 o’clock, nearly all of the thousands of attendees formed a circle to welcome the Royal Family, who made their way around and stopped to chat with some of the guests at the front.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t get close to the front due to how packed the crowd was, so we couldn’t see anything. Allan is over six feet, and even he struggled to see over everyone’s heads. He held up the phone and snapped some photos for me to see what was happening and managed to capture King Charles greeting the crowd.
There were a few other wheelchair users near us who were disappointed about the lack of an accessible area for wheelchair users. It would have been nice if there was an area where we could gather to see what was going on rather than everyone’s back. My advice to wheelchair users would be to make your way to the front early and grab your spot if you want to see or meet the Royal Family.
Near the end, a couple in the crowd noticed that I couldn’t see and kindly cleared a path for me to squeeze through to the front. They didn’t seem to hesitate as they instructed people to move. To be honest, I felt a bit awkward and embarrassed as people moved to let me through.
My mum and I finally made it to the front just as King Charles was finishing up in the royal tea tent and departing, tipping his top hat to the waiting crowd.
It was then time for everyone else to slowly make their way out, but before leaving, we made one last visit to the tea tent for a drink and cake.
To continue our celebrations, my mum treated us to a lovely meal at The Ivy in Edinburgh. At first, we thought we might feel awkward and overdressed, but we found that many others were also coming from the royal garden party.
It’s not every day that you get to enjoy afternoon tea with the Royal Family, an experience we probably won’t have again. There was quite a bit of standing and waiting for them to arrive, and unless you were near the front, it was hard to catch a glimpse of them. Overall, it was a lovely day, and I’m glad I could share this experience with Allan and my mum.
Where Next: You Might Also Enjoy
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Edinburgh Castle Concerts: Disabled Access & Wheelchair Accessibility Review
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