Deeside sergeant joins royals at Buckingham Palace garden party
A North Wales Police officer from Broughton was among those honoured at the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the year, hosted by the King and Queen to mark VE Day commemorations and recognise public service.
Sergeant Dave Smith, 38, a local policing officer for Flintshire North, was invited to the event on Tuesday, 7 May, following his inclusion in the King’s New Year Honours List, where he received the British Empire Medal for services to the community and charity.
At the event, Sgt Smith met Queen Camilla and spoke with her about his work in founding Wrexham Police FC, a charity football team launched in early 2022 to support community engagement and raise money for local causes.
“It was an incredible honour to have been invited and to meet lots of inspiring people from across the UK that do a great deal of good in their communities,” he said.
He added that being selected to meet the Queen personally was a highlight of the day.
“She showed a real interest in who I was, where I was from, and which force I was representing. We discussed Wrexham Police FC and even potential names for the baby, as my wife – who came with me – is expecting.”
Sgt Smith said sharing the day with his wife made the experience all the more special, calling it a “personal one-to-one moment” with the Queen.
Since launching Wrexham Police FC, the team has raised close to £60,000 for various charities. The initiative gained attention and support from Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, and Michael Sheen, as well as members of the public across North Wales and beyond.
“I never set out to get any recognition,” said Sgt Smith. “It was just to try and make a difference. I don’t often feel proud, but standing in the palace gardens looking around, it felt surreal. I’m just a lad from Deeside who wanted to help others.”
The King and Queen were joined at the event by other senior royals including the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Sergeant Smith also reflected on how much the experience meant to his children: “They were telling their friends their dad had gone to the King’s house. I hope in the future they’ll be proud of what I’ve achieved.”
Looking ahead, Sgt Smith confirmed that following this year, he will be stepping back from organising further matches with Wrexham Police FC.
“It’s not been an easy decision, but with a new baby on the way, I’ve decided to prioritise my family for now. Although, that’s not to say there won’t be plans for the future.”
