Catherine Fookes MP was invited to represent Monmouthshire at a special event hosted by His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace last month.

The reception welcomed 270 MPs and 45 peers from the House of Lords, providing an opportunity for newly elected parliamentarians to meet the King and Queen Consort.

King Charles asked Catherine and other MPs what they had done prior to Parliament and Catherine shared that she had worked at the ‘Soil Association’ and ‘Sustain the Alliance’ for better food and farming which led on to a discussion on the environment and Ms Fookes’ passion for cleaning up our rivers.

Reflecting on the occasion, Catherine Fookes MP said:"It was an absolute pleasure to meet His Majesty The King and to visit Buckingham Palace on behalf of Monmouthshire residents. We spoke about Monmouthshire’s rivers and the environment - issues close to my heart and ones I know the King has long been passionate about. We also discussed the importance of a catchment-based approach to dealing with river pollution."

During the event, the King and Queen met with many newly elected MPs, peers, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch in the Palace ballroom.