The special meaning behind Queen Elizabeth’s favourite flower
The Queen has revealed her favourite flower for the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show this year.
In honour of the first day of the show, which was moved online this year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the monarch shared that one of her favourite blooms was lily of the valley.
“Members of the Royal Family are taking part in the #MyChelseaGarden campaign, sharing a selection of their favourite plants and flowers at this time of year,” an Instagram post on the Royal Family account read.
“The Queen has chosen lily of the valley, pictured here in the Buckingham Palace gardens. Lily of the valley featured in Her Majesty’s coronation bouquet and has held special associations since.”
The spring flower is the May birth flower, and is said to bring luck in love.
The white buds were also featured in the wedding bouquets of many royals, including Queen Victoria, Princess Astrid of Sweden, Grace Kelly, and Duchess Kate.
Other royals also shared their favourite flowers on the Royal Family website. The Queen’s daughter Princess Anne opted for hellebores, stating: “Not only do they flower early but they keep flowering for two months, and they are often beautifully marked with endless variations.”
Prince Charles picked delphiniums, while his wife Duchess Camilla chose Alchemilla Mollis. The Duke of Gloucester celebrated daisies, and his wife the Duchess of Gloucester chose sweet peas.
Her Majesty’s cousin Princess Alexandra picked the Golden Celebration rose, saying it “gives me great pleasure to look at and has the most extraordinary and unique scent”.
The Queen released a special message of support for the show on Monday.
“I am sure that my grandmother, Queen Mary, who first attended the Chelsea Flower Show in 1916, would be delighted that many people today have an enthusiasm for horticulture, and that gardening remains a popular pastime in the United Kingdom,” she said.