Starting early in the afternoon, carriages bearing crests from different houses of upper nobility arrived at the Queen's residence. Noble ladies respectfully entered the premises with delight and awe, and as common acquaintances of each other, those who met by the entrance easily made shallow conversations as they were led by the servants towards the back garden. It was public knowledge that Queen Theodora was fond of flowers, and the Queen's residence had multiple gardens, out of which she loved to stroll in the front garden while often using the back garden to arrange such tea parties.