The King and Queen, along with Sir David Beckham and Alan Titchmarsh, made a joint appearance at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where a gnome was named Charles III in honor of the monarch. Charles and Camilla were given a tour of The RHS and The King’s Foundation Curious Garden, where four gnomes with personalized name tags were displayed: Charles III for the King, Sir David for the former England football captain, Alan for TV gardener Titchmarsh, and Frances after the garden’s designer, Frances Tophill.
This annual flower show, attended by the royal couple, saw the lifting of the ban on gnomes for only the second time in its history, with the previous instance being in 2013 to commemorate the show’s centenary. The Queen, donning a bee brooch, expressed her admiration for the natural beauty of the garden while Charles took a moment to appreciate a new rose named after Sir David, an ambassador of the King’s Foundation.
During their visit, the King was introduced to a unique flower installation incorporating roses named after himself, Beckham, and Titchmarsh. The garden’s design aimed to spark curiosity among the public, encouraging more people to engage in gardening. Notably, a framed newspaper clipping from the King’s 1995 Christmas card, featuring a young Prince of Wales with Princes William and Harry, adorned the garden shed.
Upon their arrival, the royal couple was warmly welcomed by various dignitaries, including RHS President Keith Weed and General Sir Adrian Bradshaw. The King and Queen were also accompanied by Annabel Elliot, the Queen’s sister, who posed for a photo with Beckham earlier in the day. Other members of the royal family, including the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, attended the flower show preview as well.
Charles and Camilla explored different gardens at the show, with Charles engaging in discussions with renowned personalities like Dame Judi Dench and a demonstration involving a specialized detection dog named Zinc trained to identify plant diseases. Meanwhile, the Queen admired various displays, including The Eden Project’s Bring me Sunshine garden.
After a detailed exploration of the show, the gardening enthusiasts King and Queen reunited to appreciate a display of Delphinium flowers, with Camilla expressing interest in the amenities offered at the event. The Queen also took a moment to appreciate garden items on display, commenting on the weather and recommending an outdoor fire stall. The royal couple concluded their visit with a private reception before departing from the event.