Pomp, circumstance, and Crocs: Barrie, Ont. couple's unforgettable day at Buckingham Palace
When one is extended an invitation to the Royal Garden Party in London, England, there's undoubtedly no shortage of pomp and circumstance. Barrie, Ont. natives Megan Kirk Chang and her husband Brandon experienced just that as they entered the prestigious event hosted at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
Canadians living in the U.K. who work in public service can apply for an invitation to the illustrious event.
The Changs were among the 30 individuals chosen for the once-in-a-lifetime honour out of over 700 hopefuls.
"I was just elated when the email said, 'Congrats, you've been successful in being invited to the Royal Garden Party," Megan said.
Megan Kirk Chang and Brandon Chang represent the Commonwealth at the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in London, U.K., on Tues., May 21, 2024. (Courtesy: Megan Kirk Chang)
But things haven't always been so grand for the couple, whose home in Barrie was destroyed when a tornado touched down in 2021.
"I think this is one of the common human experiences, with the experience of grief. The world continues to move forward and I'd be lying if I said we didn't reflect on that horrific day back in July 2021 often. It still does deeply affect us, but since then we've tried to live with more intention," she explained.
Megan now works for Oxford University and, this week, represented the Commonwealth for the High Commission of Canada.
She prepared for the grand event with a fashionable pink fascinator, a long black and pink dress, and sensible black shoes. "I have to mention my shoes because they have discontinued this Crocs line."
Yes, she said Crocs.
"They don't look like Crocs. They're a wedge heel. They're really classy," Megan exclaimed. "The Crocs material is waterproof, and you can clean them right away, so I was pretty proud of my shoe choice."
Megan Kirk Chang and Brandon Chang represent the Commonwealth at the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in London, U.K., on Tues., May 21, 2024. (Courtesy: Megan Kirk Chang)
Entering the gates of Buckingham Palace arm in arm with her husband was a surprisingly emotional experience for Megan.
"I got a little teary-eyed because usually, we're on the other side of the gate, so actually passing through into Buckingham Palace just felt unbelievable and surreal."
The wet weather didn't dampen the couple's mood.
"It was pouring rain, so a classic U.K. day, and when you see the royals come out, right at 4 p.m., right on time, another moment of awe," Megan said. "Just to be there in person was incredible."
One of the highlights of the day was Prince William's grand entrance to a hushed crowd.
"I think all of us were in a state of awe to see Prince William and felt a sense of privilege and pride to be able to attend," she added.
The afternoon was full of fine foods and classic English tea sandwiches, served as expected.
"They absolutely cut the crusts off. There was cucumber and cream cheese, ham and cheese, with a really nice mustard and a coronation chicken with curry mayo," Megan recalled.
English tea and desserts served at the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. (Courtesy: Megan Kirk Chang)
For the Barrie couple, this experience was more than just a lavish affair; it symbolized resilience and renewal.
"We're putting ourselves out there more, we're saying yes to more things, we're prioritizing our relationship in a different way and prioritizing joy," Megan said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.4994034.1592798454!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Your father’s diet before you were born could have affected your health, a new study suggests
Your father's diet before you were born could have played a role in your health, a new study has found.
Ottawa Food Bank receives largest donation in its 40-year history
210,000 pounds of food was delivered to the Ottawa Food Bank on Saturday, the largest donation in its 40-year history.
Singh 'more alarmed' after reading report, but won't break from Liberal-NDP agreement
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he is 'even more alarmed than before' after reading the un-redacted report alleging there are MPs and senators who are participating to some degree in foreign interference efforts.
Joe Alwyn says breakup with Taylor Swift was 'a hard thing to navigate'
Joe Alwyn is speaking publicly for the first time about the end of his years-long relationship with Taylor Swift.
Clooney and Roberts help Biden raise US$30 million-plus at a star-studded Hollywood gala
Some of Hollywood's brightest stars headlined a fundraiser for U.S. President Joe Biden that took in a record US$30 million-plus for a Democratic candidate, according to his campaign, in hopes of energizing would-be supporters for a White House contest they said may rank among the most consequential in U.S. history.
Prince William shares childhood photo of him and King Charles III for Father's Day
Prince William on Sunday shared a photograph showing him as a child with his father, King Charles III, to mark Father’s Day in the United Kingdom this year.
Global study ranks two Canadian cities high on list of most expensive places to buy a home
As Canadians continue to struggle with the extremely high cost of buying a home in some of the country’s major urban centres, a new global report is underscoring just how expensive some of those markets are.
'We're in pretty good shape': Calgary goes low in water consumption after state of local emergency declared
On a day that a local state of emergency was declared in Calgary, city residents answered a request from the mayor and emergency officials to use less water.
A new tax filing system could give Canadians more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits: PBO
Canadians would get more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits each year through an automatic tax filing system, according to a report published by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).