A 20-YEAR-old karate instructor recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace - the first one hosted by King Charles as monarch.
Bethan Owen, of Bodelwyddan, was acknowledged in June 2022 for her services to karate and to the community in Denbighshire. This was prior to the death of the queen.
She was presented with her British Empire Medal (BEM) - at home in March and attended the first of the annual Garden Parties on May 3.
Bethan Owen with her mum Julie at the garden party. (Image: Bethan Owen)
The party, to celebrate the Coronation, was hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla, who were accompanied by The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent.
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Talking about the day, Bethan, who attended the event with her mum Julie, said: "It was an incredible experience to be able to attend his very first garden party just before the Coronation.
"We arrived at the palace at 2pm because the gates opened at 3pm. We had to line up and then they checked our invitations, IDs etc. My mum and I took plenty of pictures outside the palace as we waited for the gates to open. Seeing them open was almost magical because it never really happens.
"Walking around the palace to the gardens was truly amazing and an experience I will never forget. It was so big.
The Royal Tea Tent. (Image: Bethan Owen)
"We sadly didn't get to speak to King Charles and [Queen] Camilla but we saw them a bit from afar."
Talking about dressing the part! Bethan added: "Mum and I both wore navy dresses.
"I had heels, the worst mistake, and my mum wore flats and we both had fascinators on.
Garden Parties are an important way for members of the Royal Family to speak to a broad range of people from all walks of life, all of whom have made a positive impact in their community. (Image: Bethan Owen)
"It was truly amazing to experience the whole day. It was definitely exciting and I was speechless walking through the gates and going past the palace to get through to the gardens.
"My main highlight was getting to experience this whole journey with my mum as unfortunately, my dad couldn’t.
"He would have loved to have been there, for sure."
Bethan and her mum Julie outside the gates! (Image: Bethan Owen)
Bethan lost her dad Garry in January 2022. Garry was always supporting Bethan and often wrote to the Journal celebrating her achievements.
Bethan, who works at Richmond House in Rhyl, who specialise in dementia care, has achieved so much from a young age.
The former Rhyl College student and founder of a not-for-profit karate club in Rhyl has been helping to take care of her mum, who has epilepsy, since she was a child.
At aged seven, she started learning karate by way of a distraction and by 12, she was a black belt and qualified karate instructor.
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