Bonnybridge girl to party at palace with Harry, Wills and Kate

Rosie shows off her invitation to Buckingham Palace and a picture of her dad Allan, inset, who sadly died in 2004

Sadly the invite from Prince Harry to his May 13 Party at the Palace event, which he organised with brother Prince William and his wife Kate, came as a result of a family tragedy for Rosie Stevenson (17), of Woodburn Crescent, Bonnybridge.

The Denny High pupil was just four-years-old when her dad Allan, a sergeant serving with the Royal Military Police in Northern Ireland, drowned while canoeing off Murlough Bay in County Down on April 3, 2004. He was 36-years-old.

Sgt Stevenson is no doubt smiling down on his daughter, who received a hand-written invite from Prince Harry to attend the event, which honours the children of those who died while serving in the Armed Forces.

Rosie, who is attending the party with mum Rose, said: “We didn’t think it was real at first. I thought it was the Party at the Palace in Linlithgow. I showed it to my friends and teachers at school and they told me I shouldn’t get too excited about it because it may not be real.”

When the personal letter from Prince Harry arrived a little later, Rosie, her mum, sister Jessica (27) and brother Brett (24) began to realise this was no joke.

The invites were for under 18s only and if they had come a year later Rosie would not have had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

She said: “Prince Harry told us not to dress up or anything special and to keep our fingers crossed for sunshine, so I think it will be outside. He said he and his brother had been planning this for ages and had lots of stuff organised for guests.

“I think they don’t want it to be a sad day for people, they want it to be a celebration.”

Rosie and her mum will be travelling down to London by train on the day before and then presenting their tickets to the powers-that-be at the gate of Buckingham Palace on Saturday afternoon in time for the party, which runs from 3pm to 5pm.

The Falkirk Herald asked the fifth year pupil if she can capture some pictures of the event, which will feature live performances, stalls, games on the lawn and a chance to explore the grounds.

“We don’t know if we can take cameras,” said Rosie. “But I’ll do my best.”