A Bishop’s Stortford belly dancer rubbed shoulders with the Royal family at a Buckingham Palace garden party.
Debbie Moulsdale and her husband Alan were invited to the event yesterday (Tuesday, May 21) by the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire Robert Voss to recognise her charity work and contribution to the community.
She has taught belly dance and Bollywood fitness classes at the Havers Community Centre on Thursday nights for 18 years and her group, the Belly Belles, performs for charities and organisations, fetes and festivals, helping raise awareness and funds for different causes.
Debbie also founded the social enterprise, CST Today, in 2015 to support people living with dementia. On Wednesdays, she offers cognitive stimulation therapy to users of Age Concern’s services at the New Apton Centre.
On Mondays, she is to be found at South Mill Arts, volunteering as a reiki therapist and exercise instructor for the Hummingbird Cancer Support Group which provides complimentary treatments for people affected by cancer.
Debbie said: “I cannot tell you how happy and surprised I was to receive the invitation, I was over the moon! It’s something I could never have imagined or dreamed I would be attending.
“I feel so honoured to have been able to attend such an auspicious event.
“My husband and I arrived at the gates of Buckingham Palace around 2pm on the day, and waited eagerly with other attendees for the gates to open.
“It was raining but this did not affect the most wonderful atmosphere, everyone was happy, laughing, joking and taking photographs.
“Once we were in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, we were treated to the beautiful sound of two brass bands, playing at either end of the lawn, it was quite emotional.
The Royal tea tent, which had little gold crowns on the top, was to the side of us, and [there was] a larger tea tent straight ahead for guests to enjoy scrumptious sandwiches, cakes and Earl Grey tea.
“At 4pm, the Royals arrived to the national anthem. We were lucky enough to be standing right near Prince William, the Prince of Wales, and Zara [Princess Anne’s daughter] and [her husband] Mike Tindall.
“There were other Royals in attendance too, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, plus the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
“What a day! Before we left for home, we took a walk around the 40 acres of palace gardens and lake. Yes, we did get quite wet, but as I say, it did not spoil the day in any way, I am still buzzing today.”