Yesterday, The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall attended the 2022 Sandringham Flower Show, which has been on hiatus since 2019 due to the pandemic.
This year marks the 139th year of the Flower Show.
The couple enjoyed a carriage ride as they attended the Flower Show, where they could be seen waving and smiling at the crowds who had lined up to see them.
The Sandringham Flower Show takes place on The Queen’s Norfolk estate, Sandringham Park. The show attracts 20,000 visitors each year.
The origins of the Flower Show go back to 1881. Queen Victoria bought the Norfolk residence for her son, the Prince of Wales, in 1862. 20 years later, he had the idea of a flower show for all the tenants on the estate to encourage them to keep their gardens tidy and to have a sense of pride.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall attended 2022’s Sandringham Flower Show. (Clarence House)
Whilst they were speaking to people, Camilla and Charles petted a Jack Russell Terrier sitting in a special pram. The future Queen Consort, owns two rescue Jack Russell Terriers herself, named Beth and Bluebell. The pair even featured in Camilla’s edition of Country Life.
The owner of the dog, Steven Southern from South Yorkshire, said afterward that Princes Charles and Camilla are ‘definitely dog people’.
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Embed from Getty Images
Southern also revealed that it wasn’t Camilla’s first encounter with Dill. The Duchess first met him 11 years ago, at the 2011 event: ‘They met in 2011 and Dill actually rolled over for Camilla to tickle his tummy and she remembered. How they remember I’ve no idea.’
Today’s show also featured a number of unique exhibitions, including one based on gingerbread houses and paper replicas of The Queen’s handbag.
During the event, Charles presented The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Challenge Cups.
The King George VI Challenge Cup is for the best cropped, cultivated and kept Sandringham Estate Cottage Garden, whilst Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Challenge Cup is for the most pleasing Sandringham Estate Cottage Garden.
The Prince of Wales also presented the Fred Waite Plantsman Shield – an award which was created in memory of the former Flower Show Chairman and is presented to an individual who has particularly shown their plantsman and cultivation skills.
The royal couple also walked around the event, seeing the main marquees, as well as the Women’s Institute, Schools Tent, Eastern Daily Press and Guiding in West Norfolk.
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Embed from Getty Images
The Prince of Wales inspected the Guard of Honour of the King’s Lynn Air Cadets.
The annual event sees East Anglia’s leading nurseries and horticultural specialists exhibit their produce and stock. It also features display gardens from leading designers, as well as trade stalls. The show also features Royal marquees, which hold competitions in vegetables, fruit, and floral art with entries from local residents.
The profits from the flower show are donated to local charities. Since 1977, the Show Committee has given around £780,000 to charities.
