The King's coronation is right around the corner, and with all of our street party decor plans well underway, we're left feeling curious about what the floral arragements may look like at Westminster Abbey this coming weekend.
Flowers are usually a huge part of royal celebrations – you'll likely remember the elegant arch on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding day, made up of white garden roses, peonies and foxgloves. And then there was Kate Middleton's understated wedding bouquet, which included lily-of-the-valley, hyacinth, and Sweet William (of course!)
So will there be flowers at the 6th May coronation, and if so, what are they likely to be? While there's no official word just yet, we reckon we can make a pretty educated guess...
What flowers will be at King Charles' coronation?
King Charles III has long been known as a lover of the outdoors, and has been vocal about his passion for gardens, plants and flowers numerous times throughout his tenure as the Prince of Wales.
So while it hasn't yet been confirmed by the royal household whether or not there will be flowers at the official ceremony in London, it'll be quite a surprise if the future monarch doesn't include florals in some capacity.
Su Whale, Florist at Interflora Floristry Trade Club, explained that whichever flowers he chooses are likely to represent his dedication to sustainability.
'The King’s passion for sustainability will, without doubt, be the key. Expect everything to be sourced from the UK and more specifically the grounds of the Royal residences and parks. Doubtless, there will be no floral foam used either, so it will be interesting to study or at least speculate on the mechanics that will be used,' she said.
But which blooms could be making an appearance? According to many royal commentators, lily-of-the-valley is likely to be a popular choice. It has held an important place in previous regal celebrations, so there's every chance that the new King will want to pay homage.
'A favourite with the royal family, this diminutive, scented flower was included in the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding bouquet, and both the Queen’s wedding and coronation flowers,' Su said. 'We can definitely expect to see this bloom on the big day.'
Perhaps Queen Camilla will carry her own bouquet including white flowers?
However, it's likely that Charles will want to put his own stamp on the proceedings, too. As such, many are speculating that delphiniums could be a prominent part of the coronation.
The King has shared his admiration for the tall, colourful flowers before, revealing on BBC Radio 4, 'I have an absolute passion…for delphiniums, and I've always had it.
'There's something about those Edwardian watercolours. To me, gardening is rather like painting. You need to get the paint on, and not muck about.'
They are also meant to symbolise positivity, so they could represent a good omen for the new King!
When it comes to Camilla's favourite flowers, she is said to be a fan of the Alchemilla mollis, which is technically a plant. While it may seem unusual, the pretty green plant often provides a great base for a bouquet, so there's every chance it may feature in some part of the event's floral arrangements.
It's also possible that King Charles will choose to pay floral tribute to the four nations of the UK in some way.
The tudor rose is the flower of England, while daffodils represent Wales, the thistle is the flower of Scotland, and the three-leaf shamrock is, of course, the national flower of Ireland.
In fact, these four flowers have already featured as part of the King's coronation logo, so it would make a lot of sense if they featured in the actual 6th May celebration, too!
Finally, Su suggested that King Charles may also want to bring a bit of his own garden with him to the coronation.
'At Highgrove (Charles' country residence), the King has nurtured a wildflower meadow, so we can expect to see similar flowers at the Abbey.
'We might see bluebells – not Spanish of course – nor the real thing, as the King would not want wild bluebells being dug up for the ceremony. I would think scilla, a gorgeous bloom grown in the UK, would be an excellent alternative.'
Meanwhile, we're stocking up on some of the most stylish coronation keepsakes ahead of the big day!
