Catherine, Queen of May
With a surprise trip to the Chelsea Flower Show, then highlighting important issues with Professor Green, the Princess of Wales is the blooming star of the week
Has the Princess of Wales got Barbie film fever already? That was the question some fashion journalists were asking when Catherine turned up looking very pretty in pink for three engagements. Whatever her motivation, there’s no denying Catherine is the royal making all the headlines – all hail our Queen of May.
In fact, the Princess was literally Queen Bee last weekend. Celebrating World Bee Day, Kensington Palace posted a pic of Catherine in a head-to-toe protective beekeeping outfit, checking on hives kept at her Anmer Hall home on the Sandringham estate. She even makes her own honey. You can buy royal honey here.
On Monday, Catherine attended the opening of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show wearing her pink ME+EM dress (first seen in 2021), and surprising everyone, including the press, with her unannounced visit. According to some media commentators, the Princess had upstaged the King and Queen’s official Chelsea Flower Show tour. Others claim Catherine always has Charles’s full support, aware that she is the future Queen and, according to recent polls, the most popular member of the Royal Family.
Whatever the truth behind the all-new Battle of the Roses whipped up by the papers, Catherine looked thrilled to be at the inaugural Children’s Picnic, albeit grilled by schoolkids about her royal life and what the relations do: “They help support all the different people in the country, showcase all the amazing work being done and look after everyone.” Was Catherine’s perfect A* answer.
Hours later, Charles and Camilla were at the famous flower show presenting the new Elizabeth Medal of Honour to its first gardening and environmental recipients. This year’s horticultural event, once a favourite of the late Queen, was the first one since her death.
On Thursday, Catherine brought out another pink favourite, this time an Alexander McQueen trouser suit, for two engagements supporting her Early Years initiative.
At the Foundling Museum, of which she is patron, Catherine met foster parents and people with experience of the care system, before attending a support session run by Kinship charity, to hear about raising the child of a relative or friend.
Joining her for both engagements was Professor Green (Stephen Manderson), the rapper/songwriter/mental health activist who was raised by his grandmother “Nanny Pat” and is a Shaping Us champion for Catherine’s campaign.
“She really is passionate about this, she actively cares about it, she's educated herself about it, not just as a mother but as a professional,” said Professor Green, talking about the Princess of Wales. “She's making really good use of her position to facilitate change. She is so invested in this that I think she is going to do wonders.”
We couldn’t agree with you more, Professor Green.
Charles and Camilla in Northern Ireland
From spinning trees to a colourful Coronation bench, the King and Queen had a great time on their two-day surprise visit to Northern Ireland.
If Charles and Camilla enjoyed this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, we doubt they had seen anything to top the terrific topiary in Newtownabbey’s Coronation Garden, which they officially opened on Wednesday. Designed by Diarmuid Gavin, there’s even a three-floor pavilion topped by a crown and a spinning glitter ball, which Camilla said looked “just like the one off Strictly”. It also had dancing trees performing to Bring Me Sunshine by Morecambe and Wise. Genius.
“Sometimes in gardening we can be a bit po-faced but I wanted to create a little bit of magic,” Diarmuid told the Telegraph. “The King and the Queen were just great, they got how fun and ridiculous it was. The King told me Morecambe and Wise would have been delighted to have been associated with it.” If only every garden could have a dancing tree. Charles looked convinced, so maybe Highgrove will get some soon.
Later at Hillsborough Castle, another highlight for Their Majesties was getting the chance to see (and sit) on another winning design - a National Coronation Bench. Created by Blythefield Primary School, the children were one of the triumphant teams of an Historic Royal Palaces competition. You can see all 15 winning benches at the Tower of London Coronation Bench Trail until September 1st.
Prince William shows he is oarsome
“He should be Prince of Hotness” social media punters declared, when Prince William this week joined the Royal Navy on the water for Mental Health Awareness Week.
He joined HMS Oardacious to find out what it takes to look after your mental health when doing endurance events like rowing across the Atlantic. “The only way we are going to get through this is to help each other,” William said.
Meanwhile, as the Prince of Wales gears up for his next Earthshot Awards in Singapore in November, he also highlighted previous prize winner Notpla and their pioneering seaweed and plant-based plastic alternative packaging.
Exhibition dates for your diary
We love a good exhibition at The Royal List and there are several to put in your diary this summer:
The King and Queen’s Coronation Robes: The Robes of Estate will be on display at Buckingham Palace during its summer opening, from July 14 to September 24. Tickets rct.uk
Style and Society: Dressing the Georgians at The Queen’s Gallery. The Royal Collection has an exhibition of paintings, sketches and prints including Gainsborough, Zoffany and Hogarth. Until October 8. Tickets rct.uk
Queen and her Corgis: The Wallace Collection has a display of photos of the late monarch with her dogs. Until August 6. Entry is free, wallacecollection.org
Crown to Couture: We reviewed this take-over of Kensington Palace marrying Georgian fashion with the Met Gala. Until October 29. Tickets hrp.org.uk
Royal sheep rustling
One unexpected story this week was that of three women from the Animal Rising group, who stole three lambs from the Sandringham Estate,
Sarah Foy, 23, Rosa Sharkey, 23 and Rose Patterson, 33 took the animals from Appleton Farm, Norfolk, on Wednesday, named them Sooty, Sunny and Sammy and then drove to Windsor Castle to hand themselves in to police, brandishing placards saying, “I Rescued The King’s Sheep.” The sheep have been saved from slaughter and will live the rest of their lives “in safety.”