Buckingham Palace Gold DofE Celebration – May 2026

We were incredibly proud to attend the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 70th Anniversary Celebration at Buckingham Palace with three of our four students, who all achieved their prestigious Gold Award.

It was a truly unforgettable day, blessed with beautiful sunshine and a fantastic atmosphere. Our students had the opportunity to explore the palace gardens, enjoy a cupcake and a cup of tea from the tea tent, celebrate their achievements, and listen to a range of inspirational speakers, including David Seaman, Dame Kelly Holmes and His Royal Highness Prince Edward.

The event marked a very special milestone for Mayfield, as this was our first delivery of the Gold Award. It also highlighted the dedication, resilience and commitment required to achieve such a prestigious award, and our students represented the school brilliantly.

A huge congratulations to all four students on this outstanding achievement – we are so proud of you!

A full-length shot of a man wearing a dark lounge suit, white shirt, and red tie, standing on the gravel forecourt of Buckingham Palace. The grand, stone façade of the palace stands tall behind him, featuring classic columns and arched entrances with ornate black and gold wrought-iron gates. The Royal Standard flag is visible flying from the roof against a clear blue sky.

A view from behind a seated audience looking towards a speaker standing at a wooden lectern beneath a large white canopy at the back of Buckingham Palace. The crowd includes individuals in formal wear and military uniforms. The palace's grand stone columns and large windows form the backdrop.

Two women smiling and embracing whilst posing on the vast, sunlit green lawn at the rear of Buckingham Palace. The woman on the left is wearing a bright yellow short-sleeved dress with a blue floral pattern, and the woman on the right is in a beige lace-detailed dress. Numerous other guests in formal attire stroll across the palace grounds in the background.

A group of four guests standing together and smiling on the expansive lawn of Buckingham Palace during a sunny garden party. The men are wearing formal suits and the women are in elegant day dresses. The impressive, wide golden-stone façade of the palace extends across the background under a clear sky.

A woman smiling and standing on the wide stone steps at the back of Buckingham Palace during a garden party. She is wearing a knee-length navy blue lace dress and matching heeled sandals, with a small silver handbag over her shoulder. The grand, curved stone architecture of the palace's West Front and a large black decorative lamppost frame the scene.

A group of four smartly dressed guests posing together on the stone steps of Buckingham Palace. From left to right: a woman in a navy lace dress, a man in a beige patterned three-piece suit with sunglasses, a man in a black suit and sunglasses, and a woman in a light sage green midi dress. They are attending a formal outdoor event on a bright, sunny day.

A speaker holding a microphone and gesturing whilst standing next to another man under a bright orange marquee. The marquee is branded with "DofE.org" and "Youth Without Limits". The audience is seated in green plastic chairs in the foreground, viewed from behind, with lush green trees filling the background.

A wide landscape view of the Buckingham Palace garden lawn on a bright, clear day. Well-dressed guests are scattered across the grass, with a few individuals walking across the foreground. The full grandeur of the palace's rear elevation, complete with central dome and white event marquees, stretches across the background.

A man in a black suit and a woman in a navy lace dress walking side-by-side across the grass at a garden party. Both are smiling and holding white event programmes or maps. Large, mature chestnut trees in full bloom line the edge of the lawn behind them.

A group of seven formal event guests standing in a line, posing for a photograph on the gravel forecourt at the front of Buckingham Palace. The group includes four women in elegant day dresses and three men in suits. The massive, neoclassical stone façade of the palace stretches across the background, and the Union Jack flag flies from the rooftop above.

A full-length photo of a man in a black suit, white shirt, and black tie standing arm-in-arm with a woman in a navy blue lace dress on the gravel outside Buckingham Palace. The man is wearing sunglasses and holding a plastic water bottle. The majestic stone architecture of the palace serves as the background on a bright, sunny day.

A close-up selfie of a smiling man and woman with Buckingham Palace prominent in the background. The man in the foreground wears a beige textured suit jacket, white shirt, and a brown patterned tie. The woman next to him wears dark sunglasses and smiles broadly. The background is filled with the sunlit courtyard of the palace and numerous other guests milling around.

A high-angle group selfie taken on the pavement just outside the tall, black and gold wrought-iron gates of Buckingham Palace. A man in a beige suit smiles in the immediate foreground, with a group of friends in formal dress gathered closely behind him. In the background, green trees line the road alongside police officers and members of the public.

Two young women stand posing next to the back of a white minibus branded with "MAYFIELD SCHOOL" and the motto "DREAM • BELIEVE • ACHIEVE". The woman on the left is wearing a yellow floral short dress, and the woman on the right is wearing a dark navy dress. They are standing on the road just outside the highly decorative black and gold gates of the palace, with other vehicles and pedestrians visible nearby.