A COUPLE from near Chillaton enjoyed the beautiful surroundings of Buckingham Palace last week, brushing shoulders with the Royal family. With tea, cakes and a beautiful garden to stroll in, Roy and Sue Tucker joined around 7,000 people on a glorious sunny day — despite a short shower — all dressed in their finery. Every summer, the Queen hosts at least three garden parties at Buckingham Palace, and the most recent saw the couple invited thanks to Sue's dedicated work with the Diocese of Exeter. Sue was a nurse at Derriford Hospital for more than 30 years, but in a change of career worked for the Diocese of Exeter before she retired. For eight years Sue worked for the church and society in rural areas as a rural officer — and as a Bishop's gift when someone retires from the Diocese, she was given the privilege of going to the Royal Garden Party. A spokesperson for the Diocese of Exeter said: 'For her fantastic service and as a rural officer right through foot and mouth and through the flooding crisis, she offered advice to farmers and advice to the Diocese of Exeter. 'She was a great contribution and well thought of in the farming community.' At the party Roy and Sue, who run Quither Farm near Chillaton, met the Countess of Wessex, who is also the president of the Royal Cornwall Show — and as the couple were heading to the show the following day to show their Galway sheep the Countess had asked for them to introduce themselves if they saw her. Sue said: 'She said for us to say hello if we saw her, but I actually bumped into her at the show and she said "Oh hello, how nice to see you again", which was so nice. 'Even a judge at the show asked if we were in London on Tuesday — out of 7,000 people who were at the garden party how nice he recognised us. 'We had a wonderful time at the garden party, it was just so special.' l Garden parties have been held at Buckingham Palace since the 1860s, when Queen Victoria instituted what were known as 'breakfasts'. In the 1950s the number of garden parties held at Buckingham Palace was increased from two to three a year. They took the place of presentation parties attended by debutantes, but have evolved into a way of rewarding and recognising public service.