King CharlesandQueen Camillaare smelling the flowers this spring!
On Monday afternoon, the King and Queen stepped out at the Chelsea Flower Show in London. The royal couple, who celebrated theircoronationtwo weeks ago, attended the event with someroyal family memberswho supported them during the crowning ceremony. Princess Alexandra, Prince Richard, Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent joined Charles, 74, and Camilla, 75, in touring the world-renowned garden show.
“I could sit here for the rest of the day,” she said as she rocked on a bench swing, adding that it was a “good spot.”
The royals also toured the RHS and Eastern Eye Garden of Unity, which celebrates the richness of the unity of cultures. A particularly poignant stop was The Garden of Royal Reflection and Celebration, which commemorates the coronation and honorsQueen Elizabeth.
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King Charles' mother, who died in September at age 96, became patron of the RHS upon her accession in 1952.Queen Elizabethfaithfully attended the Chelsea Flower Show, the society’s flagship event, over 50 times during her reign, theRHSsaid. Her last visit would be in May 2022, when sheexplored the eventin a golf cart.
The Chelsea Flower Show is the first royal outing for King Charles and Queen Camilla with Princess Alexandra, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Prince and Princess Michael since the coronation on May 6. Princess Alexandra, Prince Richard and Prince Michael, who are all first cousins ofQueen Elizabeth, witnessed the historic event from aunique vantage point— the second crowning ceremony of their lifetimes. Richard and Michael were young boys at the 1953 ceremony, while Alexandra (who is Michael’s elder sister), perhaps grasped a bit more of the gravity of the occasion at age 16.
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s official coronation portraits.Hugo Burnand
Princess Alexandra, Prince Richard and his wife Birgitte were also included in theofficial group portraitfrom King Charles' coronation and appeared onthe balcony of Buckingham Palaceafter the church service at Westminster Abbey.
Princess Alexandra, 86, is the Honourable Lady Ogilvy. She served as a bridesmaid at Queen Elizabeth’s her wedding toPrince Philipin 1947, and likely had a storybook take on her cousin’s coronation day day. She rode to the ceremony in the horse-drawn Glass Coach and wore aNorman Hartnell gown, just like Elizabeth did for the crowning ceremony. The princess attended with her mother, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, and her brothers, Prince Edward and Prince Michael.
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A decade later, Princess Alexandra returned to Westminster Abbey for her own royal wedding to Angus Ogilvy, with whom she welcomed two children. A working royal throughout life, Princess Alexandra supportedQueen Elizabethat various ceremonial occasions and through her charity work.
According to hisroyal bio, Prince Richard, 78, attended Eton and planned a career in architecture. However, his fate changed following a family tragedy. After his elder brotherPrince Williamdied in a plane crash in 1972, he left his job in London to take on a heavier royal workload and follow in his father’s footsteps as the Duke of Gloucester.
Today, Richard serves as a full-time working royal and lives at Kensington Palace. He and Birgitte are parents to three adult children, who do not carry out royal duties.
source: people.com
