A heroic nine-year-old double amputee who missed the King's Garden Party in May after traffic chaos struck has been granted a personal audience with the Queen.
Tony Hudgell, who suffered tragic life-changing injuries at the hands of his birth parents when he was just a baby, had embarked on an inspiring 10km Captain Tom-inspired walk which raised millions for charity in 2020.
For his efforts, the fundraising hero was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the prevention of child abuse in the New Year's Honours - as well as an invitation to the Buckingham Palace party.
Hudgell, from Kent, had been "hugely excited" to attend the grand day out at the palace - but a lorry fire on the M20 had delayed his adoptive family's journey into the capital, meaning they missed out on the festivities.
Tony Hudgell sadly missed May's Garden Party after traffic chaos on the M20
PA/X/Paula Hudgell
Sorry to hear this, Tony! We were looking forward to seeing you too.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 8, 2024
Fancy trying again another day? Leave it with us… @paula_hudgell https://t.co/qAS4iq7bYS
His adoptive mother, Paula Hudgell, had lamented the traffic chaos on social media - but Tony was handed a boost just before bedtime when a response from an official Royal Family account asked whether he might "fancy trying again another day".
The Royal Family account said: "Sorry to hear this, Tony! We were looking forward to seeing you too. Fancy trying again another day? Leave it with us…"
And just over a month later, the nine-year-old was resoundingly compensated for his earlier troubles - with tea at Buckingham Palace with Queen Camilla, the Mail revealed.
On Wednesday afternoon, Tony and the Queen dined on high tea in the heart of London, being served sandwiches, tarts, profiteroles and miniature crown-topped chocolate cakes.
MORE ON QUEEN CAMILLA:
Tony and the Queen dined on high tea in the heart of London
PA
After the family had been delayed on the M20 back in May, Paula had said: "It was a nice day. We were standing on the motorway chatting to other people. Tony was singing and chatting to people.
She added: "We came home, and by that time we were quite flat. Tony was disappointed.
"I saw the reply just before Tony went to bed and he went to bed feeling a lot happier."
Before he had been granted the audience with the Queen, Tony's adoptive mum had expressed her hopes that he would be able to attend next year's Garden Party, saying: "Hopefully by that time, Tony will be out of his leg frame and he will be able to walk around the palace gardens. That would be our silver lining - we hope."
Tony was congratulated by Princess Kate for his British Empire Medal
PA
The nine-year-old's fundraising efforts garnered £1.8million for the Evelina London Children's Hospital
PA
The nine-year-old's fundraising efforts - which garnered £1.8million for the Evelina London Children's Hospital in the south of the capital - aren't the only campaigns by his family members to have seen success.
The brave boy's family successfully lobbied for additions to the the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, dubbed "Tony's Law", which saw tougher sentences for child abusers in England and Wales enshrined in the courts.
Paula, who fostered Tony when he was six weeks old alongside husband Mark, had been made an OBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to children.
Her gong came a year before her adopted son's BEM - which prompted a letter of congratulation from the Princess of Wales.
