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An Instagram post released to the Royal Family account showed two images of lily of the valley growing in the Buckingham Palace gardens, as well as two images of the Queen holding the flowers – as part of her Coronation bouquet, and when she received a bunch from a member of the public.
The accompanying caption read: ‘On the first day of the virtual Chelsea Flower Show, 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.
The Queen receiving a bouquet of lily of the valley from the public
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‘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.’
Writing in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death, horticulturist Alan Titchmarsh wrote in Gardeners’ World that the late monarch ‘loved primroses, lily-of-the-valley and other modest blooms far more than elaborate exotics; something that speaks volumes about her personality.’
The bloom, which symbolises love, motherhood and purity, has since become a way for royals to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II – Catherine Middleton, for example, included them in her bridal bouquet when she tied the knot with Prince William in 2011.