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British RoyalsQueen Elizabeth II

Queen and Duke of Edinburgh lead Garden Party guests in moment of silence for Manchester victims

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh led the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Eugenie and their 8,000 assembled guests in a moment of silence and respect for the victims of the Manchester bombing at the start of yesterday’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.

The moment of silence was followed by the national anthem, and then the royal party moving down the steps to meet with the guests who were there in recognition of their charitable contributions and service to the community.

As was expected, there was some criticism on social media from people who felt that the event should have been cancelled, but the royals were determined to keep calm and carry on, giving their guests the once-in-a-lifetime experience they had been promised.

@RoyalFamily/Twitter

Chris Rowe and his wife Antonella had travelled from Manchester for the event, and Mr Rowe said that: “We were worried it was going to be cancelled, but it’s the sort of thing that shouldn’t be cancelled. You’ve got to show that life carries on.” The Rowes had the opportunity to speak to The Queen about her favourite topic – horse racing – as well as the upcoming repairs to Buckingham Palace.

Earlier in the day, Her Majesty released a statement condemning the “act of barbarity” in Manchester. She said: “I know I speak for everyone in expressing my deepest sympathy to all who have been affected by this dreadful event and especially to the families and friends of those who have died or were injured.”

The message also thanked members of the emergency services who had been working tirelessly since the tragedy occurred and praised the people of Manchester for their resilience, saying: “I would like to express my admiration for the way the people of Manchester have responded, with humanity and compassion, to this act of barbarity.”

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