Looking back at the royal family's favourite flowers

As the Chelsea Flower Show went online in 2020, the royal family, who are normally among the attendees, shared their favourite flowers as part of the #MyChelseaGarden initiative

In 2020 a rather unusual virtual Chelsea Flower Show took place online instead of at its usual Royal Hospital location due to the coronavirus lockdown. As you can tell from our gallery of archive pictures from Chelsea, the royals are among its most enthusiastic attendees; the Queen almost never missed a visit, the Duchess of Cambridge had her own garden there last year, as has Prince Harry in the past, and various other senior royals are regular visitors. That year, since they were unable to visit, the royal family took part in the #MyChelseaGarden campaign, which encouraged the public to post pictures of their own gardens on social media to celebrate the show.

The Queen started things off with her selection of the lily of the valley, which grows at Buckingham Palace and was one of the flowers in her coronation bouquet. Her Majesty also posted a letter from Windsor reflecting on the significance of the Royal Horticultural Society's show. "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 past time in the United Kingdom," she said. "As you adapt to the present circumstances, I hope you find this unique event enjoyable and interesting."

The Queen

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Prince Charles

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The Duchess of Cornwall

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Princess Anne

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The Earl and Countess of Wessex

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Princess Alexandra

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The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

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