On Saturday 19th May, Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson Prince Harry wed Meghan Markle in one of the grandest ceremonies ever televised. The bride wore a custom Givenchy gown, the Queen wore a stony face. You would think that seeing ‘the most eligible bachelor in London’ known for his notorious raucous partying and lothario ways settling down would put a smile on the face of our dear royal leader…wouldn’t you?
Just a day later at the Chelsea Flower Show, the Queen arrived in a Glossier pink button-down coat with a wide, grinning smile. The mere sight of roses sent her beaming. She was joined, like she was at the royal wedding, by Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne, the Countess of Wessex, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Princess Alexandra. Notably, the Duke of Edinburgh was left at home.
Her Madge looked delighted at the sight of a bouquet and she gleefully grinned when she met her hosts Sir Nicholas Bacon, President of the Royal Horticultural Society and Sue Biggs, RHS’s Director General. Reports say she particularly enjoyed the scent of the roses, which considering the mighty amount of blooms at Meghan and Harry’s nuptials we’re surprised she’s not sick of.
As is practical, her Majesty was the last to arrive at the nuptials and one of the first to leave. Throughout she wore a poker face that was hard to penetrate. Was she enjoying the gospel rendition of Stand by Me? Who knows. Did she take lightly whatever Prince Philip whispered to her? Doesn’t look like it. Regardless of the many photos and cameras recording the event, the only way we can know whether the enjoyed the royal wedding more than Chelsea Flower Show is through a photographic investigation. Let the examination commence