Royal Events

Each year the New Zealand High Commission is allocated a limited number of tickets for New Zealand citizens to attend Royal Events in the United Kingdom.  **Please note that we will post information on this page regarding 2013 events as soon as it becomes available. **

These events include:

• Royal Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace
• Queen’s Birthday Parades:  Trooping the Colour and Colonel’s Review
• Royal Ascot

How to apply

Due to the limited number of tickets available, the High Commission runs an electronic ballot for all events.  Tickets are non-transferable.

Applications are made through this website via an online form.  Those wanting to apply to any of these Royal Events should monitor the news section of this website for information on how they can apply and when each ballot will open.

The results of every ballot are final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding its outcome.

Royal Garden Parties

In 2013 Buckingham Palace will host three Garden Parties; these will be held on Wednesday 22 May, Thursday 30 May and Thursday 06 June.

Tickets

Applications for the 2013 Garden Parties CLOSED at 09.00am (UK time) on Wednesday 6 February 2013.

We have received a very limited quantity of tickets for 2013 and demand always exceeds supply.  Tickets to attend a Garden Party are free and are allocated by the High Commission via an electronic ballot. Successful applicants will have their tickets sent to the address provided on their application form via Royal Mail. The High Commission takes no responsibility for tickets which do not arrive due to the applicant providing an incorrect UK address or Royal Mail delivery error.

In addition to your ticket, you will be required to bring two forms of identification with you to the Garden Party. One must be a valid passport, photo driving licence, armed forces ID card or credit card with photo. The other must contain your current residential address, such as a utility bill or bank statement.

There are strict conditions and requirements for applications. We strongly advise that you read the application form and instructions very carefully before submitting your application. 

The principal applicant must be a New Zealander with a New Zealand passport.
You must only apply once as the principal applicant. The proposed guest should not apply separately.
You must not apply if you have attended a Garden Party previously.
Applications will be rejected if they are filled out incorrectly, are incomplete, submitted multiple times, or our records show previous attendance.

Dress code

The dress code for men attending Royal Garden Parties is morning dress or service uniform; however a dark lounge suit is also acceptable.  Ladies are requested to wear a day dress with hat or service uniform (trousers are not normally worn). Gloves are optional.

Photography is not permitted at the Garden Parties. Those attending are asked not to bring cameras.

Queen's Birthday Parades - Trooping the Colour

There are two Queen's Birthday Parade ceremonies - the Colonel's Review, which is the final dress rehearsal, and Trooping the Colour, which the Queen attends.  Every year the New Zealand High Commission is allocated a limited number of tickets for New Zealand citizens to attend the two parades.   In 2013 the Colonel's Review will have HRH The Prince of Wales in attendance. 
The dates are:
Saturday 08 June – Colonel’s Review
Saturday 15 June – Trooping the Colour
Both events commence around mid-morning in Horseguards Parade between Whitehall and St James’s Park, London. The parade lasts approximately one hour.

Tickets

Applications for the 2013 Birthday Parades CLOSED at 9.00am (UK time) on Wednesday 03 April 2013. 

All applications go into an electronic ballot and successful ballot applicants are advised by email.   Please note that we receive on average three times more applications than we have tickets available.

If you are successful, payment can be made either by posting a verified cheque (provide your credit card details on the reverse or use a bank cheque) to the New Zealand High Commission or in cash payment in person at NZ House between the hours of 9.00am and 11.00am from Monday 15 April to Friday 19 April.  The High Commission is not able to accept credit or debit card payment.

If payment is not received by Friday 19 April, tickets will be reallocated to the next person.

No money can be refunded if the ceremony is cancelled for reasons beyond the control of the organiser.

Ticket costs for 2013 are:
Colonel's Review - £10.00 each
Trooping the Colour - £30.00 each 
Any children attending must occupy an individual seat. 
Tickets are non-transferable.

Please note that this ballot is for seated tickets at Horseguards Parade.  The public may watch the parade to and from Buckingham Palace without a ticket from standing space along its route.  Further information about the parade route is available at www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk

Dress code

Men are required to wear morning dress, a lounge suit or jacket and trousers.
Military personnel may wear service dress/no 2 dress or service equivalent. 
There is no specific dress code for ladies; however most wear a smart day dress, skirt and top, or a trouser suit.  A hat or gloves are not required.

Royal Ascot

In 2013 Royal Ascot will take place from Tuesday 18 until Saturday 22 June 2013. The High Commission runs a ballot for New Zealand citizens to obtain tickets to the Royal Enclosure. Please check our News section regularly for announcements.  

Children between the ages of 10 - 16 years inclusive are not admitted to the Royal Enclosure, except on the Friday or Saturday of the Royal Meeting when they may accompany an adult who has a Royal Enclosure Badge. Children’s badges within this age are free of charge and can be collected on Friday/Saturday from any of the Royal Enclosure Enquiry Offices.

Photography is not permitted within the Royal Enclosure.

For more details go to www.ascot.co.uk.

Tickets

Applications for the 2013 Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot CLOSED at 9.00am (UK time) on Friday 26 April 2013.

Tickets will be allocated by electronic ballot. If you are unsuccessful, please remember that tickets for the public areas and Grandstand can be brought directly from the Royal Ascot website.   

Successful applicants will receive a badge request form from the High Commission.  You must complete this form and submit it to the Royal Enclosure Office together with payment. No payment should be sent to the New Zealand High Commission. In 2013 the cost of badges will be as follows:

• Daily badge £96.00
• 3 day badge (Tue, Wed, and Thur only) £225.00
• 5 day badge £360.00
• Junior daily badge (17-25 years) £68.00
• Junior badge Saturday (17-25 years) £40.00
• Junior 5 day badge (17-25 years) £230.00

The badges for entry will be sent directly to you from the Royal Enclosure Office by registered post during May. If the day you selected has reached capacity, the Royal Enclosure Office will request a second day choice.

Please note: Once badges are allocated they cannot be refunded and are strictly non-transferable between race days or to other people. 

Dress code

Ladies are required to dress in a manner appropriate to a formal occasion. This means that: dresses and skirts should be of modest length defined as falling just above the knee or longer; Dresses and tops should have straps of one inch or greater; Strapless, off the shoulder, halter neck, spaghetti straps and dresses with a strap of less than one inch (2.5cm) are not permitted;  Jackets and pashminas may be worn but dresses and tops underneath should still comply with the Royal Enclosure dress code; Midriffs must be covered; Trouser suits are welcome (they should be of full length and of matching material and colour); Hats should be worn; a headpiece which has a base of four inches (10cm) or more in diameter is acceptable as an alternative to a hat; Fascinators are no longer permitted in the Royal Enclosure; neither are headpieces which do not have a base covering a sufficient area of the head (four inches/10cm).

Gentlemen are required to wear either black or grey morning dress which must include: A waistcoat and tie (no cravats); A black or grey top hat: and black shoes.

Overseas visitors are welcome to wear the formal National Dress of their country or Service Dress.
Serving Military Personnel are welcome to wear Service Dress or equivalent.

Those not complying with the dress code will be asked to leave the Royal Enclosure and their Royal Enclosure badge will be removed.