King Charles and Queen Camilla have told double amputee Tony Hudgell they will make sure he can see them after he missed the Buckingham Palace garden party due to traffic.
The nine-year-old, who lost both legs due to horrific abuse from his biological parents, was forced to miss the party because he got stuck in traffic on the way to London.
Paula Hudgell, Tony’s adoptive mother, said in X that they were ‘stuck [the] M20 for the last 2 hours”, so “he will not be attending the King’s Garden Party”.
Fortunately, the King and Queen realized that Tony had to miss the party and responded in X: ‘I’m sorry to hear this, Tony! We were looking forward to seeing you too. Would you like to try again another day? Leave it with us…’
The boy from Maidstone, Kent, has had prosthetics on his lower legs since he was a toddler, after being abused as a baby.
Despite the horrific abuse he suffered, Tony became a fundraiser and received the Pride of Britain award and the UK Points of Light award.
King Charles and Queen Camilla (pictured today at the party) have told double amputee Tony Hudgell that they will make sure he can see them after he missed the Buckingham Palace garden party due to the traffic.
Fortunately, the Royal Family found out that Tony had to miss the party and responded in X.
Tony’s account on X said he was “stuck” [the] M20 for the last 2 hours’, so ‘he will not be attending the King’s Garden Party’
Tony Hudgell is pictured after undergoing major surgery after his biological parents inflicted life-changing injuries on him as a baby.
A ROYAL INVITATION: Tony (pictured) shows off the invitation he received to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace.
Tony’s adoptive mother, Paula, took to X to reveal the news, saying her son is “excited” to attend the event.
Tony’s adoptive mother, Paula Hudgell, previously took x to reveal that his son had received the exciting invitation.
She wrote: “Tony is delighted and excited to have been invited by the King to the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace this Wednesday – let’s hope the sun shines.”
His words were accompanied by a photo of Tony holding the invitation and smiling as he showed it to the camera.
The garden party would not have been his first encounter with royalty – the nine-year-old has met the Princess of Wales on several occasions, as well as the Prince of Wales.
The Royal Invitation follows Tony raising £1.8 million for Evelina London Children’s Hospital (where he received treatment following life-changing injuries inflicted by his biological parents).
Inspired by Captain Tom Moore’s fundraising walk in 2020, at the age of just five, Tony walked 10km with his prosthetic legs throughout June 2020 to raise money.
As well as raising the impressive sum, the young man also inspired a change in English law, known as ‘Tony’s Law’, enacted in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
Tony’s Law requires longer prison sentences for those convicted of child cruelty and neglect.
Tony’s biological parents, Anthony Smith, 47, and Jody Simpson, 24, were each jailed for ten years in 2018 for the torture they inflicted on their 41-day-old son in 2014, leaving him with injuries including fingers. broken hands and feet and tears. ligaments.
Despite suffering unspeakable abuse in the early days of his life, little Tony has grown into a kind and determined boy who has raised around £2 million for charity by walking long distances on his crutches.
Last December, Tony and his mother Paula met the Princess of Wales for the second time at the Westminster Hospital Day Centre.
Despite having previously met Kate at the Princess’ Christmas Carol Concert at Westminster Abbey in 2021, and again at the Day Center in Westminster, Tony seemed shy when he agreed with his mother that the Princess of Wales is “beautiful”.
Tony has previously been hailed as a hero by Prince William and his wife Kate for his extraordinary fundraising walks to help vulnerable children.
He set out to raise £500 for the hospital that saved his life by walking 10km in 30 days in 2020, after being inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore, who raised more than £33 million by walking in his backyard.
In 2021, a foundation created in his name to improve the lives of children affected by physical, emotional or psychological abuse provided more than 700 Christmas gifts for young people in need, and also continued the tradition last Christmas.
The nine-year-old’s phenomenal fundraising achievements come despite an incredibly difficult start to life which saw him undergo 23 operations and eight blood transfusions.
The horrific abuse he was subjected to by his biological parents left him with serious injuries and the baby also developed sepsis because Smith and Simpson waited 10 days before taking him to the hospital.
Her luck changed after her life was saved by specialists at the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, of which the Princess of Wales is an official patron.
Then, in 2016, he finally found a loving home with Paula and Mark, who have campaigned tirelessly for Tony’s interests since welcoming him into the family, including a proposal for Tony’s Law, which introduced harsher sentences for cruelty childish.
They have also encouraged his fundraising efforts to help other children, which has seen him rub shoulders with very famous figures.
After completing his big walk, Tony met the Prince and Princess of Wales, who “spent a lot of time” chatting to the youngster when the couple attended the Together At Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey last year.
He also met Prince Harry and a host of celebrities and was singled out for inspiration by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this year.
Despite the attention, Paula said of Tony, “He takes it all in stride, so to speak.” He is just amazing.
He is a very sociable person. She can capture a room full of people and will talk to all of them.’
In December, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis sent letters to Tony at his mother’s annual Christmas service.
To donate to the family’s fundraiser, click here.