A 'Dapper' Future King: Prince William 'Dresses to the Nines' to Represent King Charles at Buckingham Palace Garden Party

The British monarchy's springtime traditions are in full swing, with Prince William "dressing to the nines" to represent his father, King Charles III, at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party. His Royal Highness invited several other senior and junior royals to join him for the annual event in the absence of both Kate, Princess of Wales, and the monarch.

The Tuesday, May 21, party saw Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Mike and Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, mingle with lucky members of the public selected to attend the royal fan-favorite event.

Under rainy skies, crowds gathered in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, umbrellas in hand, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the royals. The future king made his entrance dressed in grey pinstripe trousers and a black jacket, complemented by a light-colored waistcoat. Holding a long umbrella in one hand, he removed his black top hat with the other to greet the assembled crowd, which is a long-running tradition for male members of the monarchy at garden parties.

Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, and Zara each wore pink and white attire. Beatrice donned a vibrant crimson dress with a white headband, while her younger sister, Eugenie, opted for a white dress accented with a pink headpiece. Pink was certainly the color of choice when it came to royal coordination of attire.

The Prince of Wales is rumored to not be a fan of the monarchy's anticipated traditions that maintain the institution's long and colorful past of pomp and pageantry, but guests couldn't tell thanks to his commitment to the event.

"It is normal for the royal gentlemen to not particularly enjoy dressing in 16th or 19th-century clothing in the 20th and 21st centuries," a palace insider spilled. "In fact, there are reports suggesting both Queen Victoria and even Queen Elizabeth II didn't care for some of our monarchy's lacquered flummery and outlandish costumes. Prince Philip absolutely despised pomp and circumstance, but it is their duty, and getting rid of it would destroy the Crown."

William's lead at the event continues his busy streak of non-stop royal engagements after a break to care for his ailing spouse as she receives preventative chemotherapy treatments. The future monarch recently toured Cornwall for the first time as the region's Duke, following his accession to the hereditary position when his father became king. The Duchy of Cornwall is automatic for an heir apparent to the throne once their parent becomes sovereign.

The lucrative portfolio and position does not pass to an heir or heiress presumptive to the Crown, such as when King George VI became king in 1936 with Princess Elizabeth as his heir.

GBN reported on William's Garden Party.