King Charles III announced as new RHS patron ahead of RHS Chelsea
King Charles III has been announced as the next Patron of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), following in the footsteps of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was previously Patron of the RHS for 70 years.
'As an advocate for the planet and champion for environmental issues, we are thrilled and honoured that His Majesty The King is our Royal Patron,' says Keith Weed CBE, President of the RHS, the UK's gardening charity. 'We look forward to furthering our work to reach more people of all ages, backgrounds and gardening abilities with the joy of growing plants and gardening to create wonderful gardens, combat the effects of climate change and build a better future for generations to come.'
The King has spent a lifetime championing the environment and has transformed his own garden at Highgrove, over 35 years in the making, which is an exemplar of his organic principles. In 2013 as Prince of Wales, he launched the Coronation Meadows Project to create 60 meadows to mark 60 years since the late Queen's accession to the throne – they have since thrived with over 100 fields of flowers created over the last 10 years. And during RHS Chelsea 2009, Queen Elizabeth II presented Charles with the prestigious RHS Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH) in tribute to his deep interest and expertise in horticulture.
Former RHS patron Queen Elizabeth II at Chelsea Flower Show from 1952 - 2022: pictures
The late Queen Elizabeth II attended the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the world-famous gardening event held on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, more than 50 times during her 70-year reign.
The Queen, who died peacefully at her Scottish retreat Balmoral on Thursday 8th September 2022, became Patron of the Society on accession to the throne in 1952 following the death of her father, carrying on the dynastic association with the RHS which had begun in Victorian times. She performed the role alongside HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, who was Patron of the RHS for 65 years until her death in 2002.
From an early age, Queen Elizabeth II regularly accompanied her parents to the Chelsea Flower Show, taking great pleasure in touring the gardens and plant displays and speaking with exhibitors.
Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the Royal Family would tour the gardens and floral displays on Press Day, a day before the show officially opens. The Queen last attended the show in May 2022, where she was able to view some very special floral exhibitions, and the RHS honoured the Queen with tributes to mark her Platinum Jubilee and to reflect her longstanding support for the charity, as well as her love of flowers and gardens.
'Her Majesty understood the importance of gardening and there can be no doubt that The Queen and HRH Prince Philip enjoyed the peace and privacy of their gardens at Sandringham, Norfolk, Balmoral, Aberdeenshire, and at Buckingham Palace, but they also enjoyed the gardens as a venue for summer garden parties; it is said that no one knew the gardens of Buckingham Palace better than The Queen,' the RHS said in a statement in September 2022 following her passing.
Take a look at previous Royal visits at RHS Chelsea...
2022
The Queen is given a tour by Keith Weed, President of the Royal Horticultural Society, at Chelsea Flower Show 2022.
Sue Biggs, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society, said of Chelsea's floral tributes to the Queen on BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'You can't walk through this show – whether you're at the amazing 39 gardens or at the 80 exhibits in the Great Pavilion – of seeing everybody's love for the Queen and tribute to the Queen on this very, very special occasion.'
2022
Queen Elizabeth II cheerfully looks on at the gardens during a tour of the showground.
2022
A display created by Simon Lycett in honour of the Queen, featuring 70 hand-thrown pots (one for every year of the Queen's reign), takes pride of place inside the Great Pavilion.
2022
A floral display depicting an image of Queen Elizabeth II is created at RHS Chelsea 2022 to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee.
2021
In 2021, The Queen's Green Canopy, an initiative led by the then-Prince Charles to plant trees throughout the UK in celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, is featured at the first ever autumn Chelsea Flower Show held in September. Designed by David Dodd, the garden was re-located to RHS Garden Bridgewater after the show.
2019
Queen Elizabeth II is shown around Kate Middleton's Back to Nature Garden at RHS Chelsea in 2019. This was Kate's debut as a garden designer, working with Andree Davies and Adam White to create a woodland-inspired space which included a treehouse, waterfall and stream, and wild trees and shrubs. The garden also debuted at RHS Hampton in the same year, and now permanently resides at RHS Garden Wisley.
2017
The Queen meets Mary Berry and BBC Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans as she visits the BBC Radio 2 Feel Good Gardens in 2017.
2016
The Queen and her husband Prince Philip are greeted by Sue Biggs as they arrive at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2016.
2016
In celebration of The Queen's 90th birthday, the RHS installed a floral arch at the Bullring Gate entrance, made with flowers donated by British growers. It was created by leading floral designer Shane Connolly and installed with the help of students from UK floristry colleges. A second floral arch adorned the London Gate.
2016
The Queen looks at a beautiful floral exhibit in her honour designed by the New Covent Garden Flower Market in 2016.
2015
The Queen and her grandson Prince Harry attend the annual Chelsea Flower Show in 2015, pictured here inside the Great Pavilion.
2014
The Queen and Prince Philip arrive for a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show in 2014.
2013
Harry gives his grandmother a tour of the Sentebale Forget-Me-Not Garden at the 2013 show.
2012
In 2012, the Queen was presented with a brooch from the Royal Horticultural Society to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee.
2012
Here's a portrait of the Queen on top of a flower bed displaying the message, 'The Queen's Diamond Jubilee', at RHS Chelsea 2012.
2012
The Queen is given a tour of the floral exhibitions inside the Great Pavilion, which is often referred to as 'the jewel in the Chelsea Flower Show crown', where nurseries exhibit their plants.
2010
Queen Elizabeth II wanders through one of the gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2010. Typically, the Queen always visited on Press Day in the late afternoon.
2010
The Queen meets Britain's physicist Stephen Hawking while visiting a garden in 2010.
2009
Queen Elizabeth II presents her son, Charles, with the Royal Horticultural Society's Victoria Medal of Honour during a visit to RHS Chelsea in 2009. The Victoria Medal of Honour is the highest accolade the RHS can bestow.
2008
The Queen meets Yvonne Innes (left), the designer of the show garden From Life to Life, A garden for George, created to celebrate the life of George Harrison of the Beatles. The Queen also met Olivia Harrison (centre), widow of George, during her visit to RHS Chelsea in 2008.
2007
Queen Elizabeth II admires one of the gardens designed by famed garden designer Chris Beardshaw at RHS Chelsea in 2007.
2007
Queen Elizabeth II talks with TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh at the 2007.
2006
The Queen braves blustery conditions at the annual Chelsea Flower show in May 2006. The rain held off for the 84th RHS show in London, but the weather was windy.
2004
The Queen looks at gardens being exhibited along Main Avenue at RHS Chelsea in 2004.
2002
Prince Charles shows his mother around The Healing Garden in 2002. The garden was dedicated to the Queen Mother.
1988
The Queen observes a newly planted tree in the grounds of Royal Hospital Chelsea at the show in 1988.
1980
The Queen on a tour of the Chelsea Flower Show displays in May 1980.
1975
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip viewing the carpet bedding of the Royal Coat of Arms during a tour of RHS Chelsea in May 1975.
1973
Queen Elizabeth II looks delighted as she takes a tour of the gardens in 1973.
1952
The Queen and Prince Philip (far right) admire the rock garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in May 1952. The garden was designed by Winkfield Manor Nurseries of Ascot.
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