Coronation garden party: Meet the Luton people invited to Buckingham Palace

Among the many who attended the Buckingham Palace Garden Parties this month, two Luton citizens were invited to join in with the celebrations.

Queen Elizabeth School’s headteacher Rhoda McPherson attended the festivities with her husband on Wednesday (May 3). She said: “The atmosphere was wonderful, and I felt very honoured to have been there. I received the invitation through nomination, and feel very fortunate.”

Rhoda also met King Charles on his visit to Luton in December. She added “I did see the King and Queen, along with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Prince Michael of Kent. I wish I could have taken the school children with me - they would have loved it.”

A Luton and Dunstable Hospital worker also received an invite to attend the Royal Garden Party on Wednesday.

Halimah Isbag, a Senior Rotational Pharmacist who won an award at the Luton and Bedfordshire community awards in November, was nominated by Lord-Lieutenant Susan Lousada for making a positive impact within the community.

Halimah said: “My initial response to being invited to the King's garden party was a complete surprise. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the envelope with the invitation. It was a huge honour, and I felt humbled to have been selected. It's not every day that you get recognized for your efforts, so I was definitely thrilled.

"My family was ecstatic when I shared the news about the invitation. They were all very proud and supportive of me. I was especially glad to take my mother as my plus one to the event, and we had a lovely time picking out outfits for the big day together. Their support has been a major motivator for me.”

Halimah added: “Being nominated for making a positive impact in the community was such an honour. It's a great feeling to know that people have taken notice. When I heard that the Lord-Lieutenant recognized my efforts, I was overjoyed. It's a real confidence booster and inspiration for me to continue supporting our communities.”