ROBERT HARDMAN on his afternoon at a (not-so) very Palace Garden Party

There was no trace of a crust on the cucumber sandwiches, the Yeomen of the Guard lined the lawns and the Band of the Royal Marines played the National Anthem on the stroke of 4pm. So far, so very Buckingham Palace Garden Party.

Except that, in one direction, I spotted TV presenter Maya Jama telling the King about filming ‘snogs’ in Spain. ‘It’s a reality show called Love Island,’ she explained.

‘There’s one born every minute,’ the King chuckled. Nearby, supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was ‘very touched’ after the Queen complimented her on her new range of M&S lingerie.

In among the crowds I spotted, variously, actor Toby Jones, presenter Bradley Walsh, comedian Sir Lenny Henry, newsreaders, directors, painters and both the current and former director-general of the BBC.

Entirely absent was the usual mix of mayoral chains, military uniforms, dog collars, fruit-heavy hats and Sunday bests which usually proliferate at a Palace garden party. That’s because yesterday’s event honoured the arts – and not just the famous names. This was also a party for the backstage sweats, special effects geeks and the donors, too.

Overall, it meant a rather more bohemian vibe in the Palace grounds. One man had arrived in a skirt – and it was certainly not a kilt.

As noteworthy as the enthusiasm with which our convalescing King was energetically gladhanding strangers for well over an hour was the very fact that this party was happening. For here was another of those indicators of the way in which this reign differs from the last.

Yesterday was the first time that a monarch has organised a garden party in tandem with a government department. Traditionally, Palace invitations are distributed via a time-honoured network of lord-lieutenants, royal charities and the Lord Chamberlain’s Office. That way, they ensure an even spread of civic worthies, public servants and community leaders from every part of the country.

This time, the Palace had left the guest list to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The King’s name might have been on the thick invitation card but the organiser was the Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer. This was her way of celebrating the contribution of the creative industries to UK plc.

‘They are part of our soft power,’ she told me in an interview ahead of the party. ‘When many people think about Britain, they think about the Royal Family, cups of tea and our creative titans. So we’re bringing them all together in one afternoon in one space.’

There was also a cool-headed calculation behind all this, too, she added. ‘The creative industries have doubled in size in the last ten years, both in terms of revenues and employees. They’re now worth £124billion to the economy and our exports have gone up by over 200 per cent.’

With this in mind, she had approached the King. ‘I know that he and the Royal Family are huge fans and supporters of the creative industries,’ she said. ‘I asked him whether he would be willing to do a small event. He was very receptive to the idea. In fact, he took it one step further.’

From a ‘small’ event emerged a tea party for 4,000 people. Though the Palace remains tight-lipped about the King’s cancer treatment, this would certainly not have happened if the King were still feeling under the weather. Besides, his doctors – and the Queen – would never have allowed it.

For this event had been arranged in addition to the regular round of summer hospitality. Though smaller than a full-scale garden party (which can reach 8,000), this still had all the usual trimmings: iced coffee, Sandringham apple juice, egg and cress sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam (blackcurrant as it happens), Chalk Stream trout and pea quiche, coffee eclairs, Dundee cake and Twinings tea.

Even with so many celebrities in the crowd, it might have been rather flat without royalty in attendance. Yesterday, the King and Queen were also joined by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Gloucester.

Back in the early days of this reign, a few of the King’s critics warned that he might soon be picking constitutional fights with the Government. Instead, we are seeing a growing collaboration between courtiers and ministers to deploy royal star power in support of Whitehall initiatives.

The one caveat is that they cannot stray into party political territory. Giving the arts a pat on the back, albeit at the bidding of a Tory government, was hardly likely to upset the staunchest Left-wing republican luvvie. In any case, this time next year, we might very well see a Labour government doing the same.

It wasn’t just the guests who looked different. So too did the hosts. Not only did the King step out through the French windows in a pink waistcoat (instead of the usual grey) but it matched the Queen’s Anna Valentine dress. ‘I complimented them on their pinks,’ artist Tracey Emin, told me. ‘But the Queen told me it was unintentional!’

For the best part of an hour, the King took one ‘lane’ through the crowds and the Queen another. She greeted youth theatre workers, poets and dancers. ‘She remembered me from when we last met,’ said choreographer Arlene Phillips. ‘It was at a concert after I’d just been let go from Strictly and she said how much she missed me which was very kind.’

Despite a lifetime of red carpet events, director Sir Ridley Scott said he was bowled over by this production, along with the Order of the British Empire service he had attended with the King earlier in the day. ‘I do this kind of thing for a living and I am amazed by the way they do it,’ he reflected.

That had been the intention, explained Ms Frazer. Much of the arts world might love to gripe about the Tories, but the secretary of state was unfazed. ‘As a Government, we’ve supported the creative industries phenomenally over the last ten years with tax reliefs. But we can do so much more to support them. We can recognise and applaud their efforts. Which is what we’re doing today.’

At the far end of the lawn, the inner sanctum, the Royal Tent, included some of the biggest donors to the arts, including philanthropists Sir Len Blavatnik and Lady Sainsbury of Preston Candover, at the behest of the minister. ‘I’m very passionate about making sure that we acknowledge the huge, charitable giving that goes on, across the country,’ Ms Frazer said.

What about the protesters who attempt to shut down any arts venture sponsored by businesses of which they disapprove? In recent months, activists have targeted the British Museum because it receives funding from BP, while a ballet at Sadler’s Wells was stopped by a demonstration against Barclays.

‘I think we should recognise and thank corporates and individuals who sponsor and support the arts. I would encourage organisations to take the money and thank the donors,’ said Ms Frazer. ‘I don’t think we should be discouraging them. I say to BP: ‘Thank you.’

While the event was about the cultural wing of the DCMS, the secretary of state was adamant that the world of sport can play a major part in bolstering the economy too. ‘We will be hosting the men’s Euros in 2028. I’m very excited about that,’ she said. Nor would she rule out another bid for the World Cup. ‘We have a lot of irons in the fire.’

Twelve years on from London 2012, could she foresee another Olympiad in the UK? ‘I would be supportive,’ she replied, adding: ‘At some point in the future.’

Few of yesterday’s guests were discussing politics of any colour, however. The chief topic of conversation was a general consensus that our recovering King was looking as rosy as his waistcoat. ‘We could all do with some positive energy right now,’ reflected documentarian Louis Theroux.

King Charles gives a playful response to Maya Jama as she says she won’t touch him again after breaking royal protocol (before asking if he watches Love Island!)

By Connie Rusk and Gia Tobasco

Watch the moment King Charles gave a playful response to Maya Jama after she apologised for breaking royal protocol by touching him at a Princes’ Trust event years ago. 

The Love Island host, 29, greeted the King, 75, and Queen Camilla, 76, as she attended the Sovereign’s Creative Industries Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

Maya said: ‘Nice to meet you. Well, I’ve actually met you before, a long time ago. About something with the Princes’ Trust and I touched you. I wasn’t supposed to. This time I won’t.’ 

Laughing, King Charles told her: ‘Don’t worry about it’ to which she responded: ‘You don’t mind, yeah?’. 

There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms. It’s best to not initiate touching unless the royal gives you their arm.

The Royal then asked her: ‘How are you getting on?’

‘I host Love Island. I don’t know if you watch that though. That’s like a reality dating show. That’s what I do,’ Maya said. 

But King Charles didn’t seem familiar with the hit ITV2 dating show as he told her: ‘There’s One Born Every Minute’ – a Channel 4 show which documents the drama and emotion of a maternity unit, from the perspective of the parents-to-be and the maternity ward staff. 

Maya said: ‘There is, yeah.’

The TV host later took to Instagram to share a text exchange with her friend. They wrote: ‘Gift that keeps on giving. I love the fact you said the words: “I touched you but I wasn’t supposed to” to the King of the United Kingdom’. Maya replied: ‘Lol. How do you know that’.

To which her friend replied: ‘Mate! It’s on Sky News’.

The television personality looked incredible in a blue patterned dress. Leaving her long dark tresses loose in waves, Maya wore a coordinated eye-catching blue fascinator. 

She added inches to her frame in a pair of black towering heels and toted her belongings around in a matching handbag.  

At the garden party, which was thrown to celebrate the Creative Industries of the United Kingdom, Maya met King Charles and Queen Camilla.

The King, 75, looked dapper in a three-piece suit which included a grey blazer and matching trousers along with a pink silk waistcoat, patterned tie and black polished shoes.

His Royal Highness – who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer – tied the look together with a black top hat and came prepared for the unpredictable British weather with an umbrella. 

Queen Camilla looked regal and cut a sophisticated figure in a long-sleeved baby pink flared dress with fringe detailing.

She paired with a diamond flower brooch, a cream hat, a simple eggshell-coloured matching handbag and monochrome heels.

Some of the guests at the event included model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Tess Daly, Dame Arlene Phillips, Alex Jones, Roman Kemp and Vernon Kay.  

The occasion brought together approximately 4,000 representatives across culture, art, heritage, film, TV, radio and fashion.

Taking to Instagram, Maya beamed as she told her followers she was ‘off to a very snazzy affair’. 

It comes after Maya made sure all eyes were on her in a black figure hugging dress as she attended her Beauty Works party at JOIA in Battersea on Monday.