There are so many strange things about being royal, and how people treat royal figures, so I know this is a weird thing to get stuck on, but how weird is it that royal women always receive flowers wherever they go? They can barely step outside their palace door without someone handing them a bouquet. I’ll admit, it always makes for a nice photo – a princess or a duchess carrying flowers always “pops” – but I can’t help but think about how wasteful it all is. I mean, it’s not like that duchess is going to take the flowers home and put them in water and set them at the kitchen table, right? So where do all of the gifts of bouquets go? Anyway, I was thinking a lot about royalty and flowers as I read that Meghan Markle has selected the flowers for her wedding. Peonies, white garden roses, foxgloves.
The royal wedding will take place among white garden roses, peonies and foxgloves, set off by branches of beech, birch and hornbeam. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have chosen a self-taught London floral designer for their nuptials. The couple said Sunday that Philippa Craddock will create the church flower arrangements for the May 19 wedding at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor.
Her team will include florists from the chapel and from Buckingham Palace for the displays in the chapel and at St. George’s Hall. The Royal Parks will also supply some plants taken from wildflower meadows. Kensington Palace said the designs will reflect the wild, natural landscapes from which many of the plants will be drawn. The flowers will be given to charities after the wedding.
“The flowers will be given to charities after the wedding.” Which means that guests are probably going to be encouraged to NOT steal centerpieces as they leave! Which is what I would have done – “it’s a shame to let these flowers go to waste, I’m just going to jack this massive floral arrangement!” As for Meg’s flower choices – I looked up foxgloves because I thought those flowers were something else entirely. Foxgloves are not very cute? They look like bells. Peonies are gorgeous though.
Also: there are lots of reports about how much the royal wedding is going to cost overall. The figures are all over the place, mostly because of what’s actually being counted. Like, yes, there will be a lot of security costs, but the costs would be even more if they married in London. The area is much more contained at Windsor. The estimates for dress, food, flowers and drinks comes in at about $1.4 million by most estimates but again, keep in mind that the costs are going to be split a lot of different ways. Meghan is paying for some stuff, Charles is paying for some stuff and the Queen is paying for some stuff. And yes, taxpayers are paying for much of it. You can see a breakdown here.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Sigh, I was hoping for anemones
Or sweet pea.
Love sweet pea, sadly they were out of season for my wedding.
Anemones aren’t in season in May. Foxgloves are gorgeous and probably won’t be in her bouquet. They will look amazing in the rest of the flowers though. Standard flowers choice, nothing particularly exciting. As a fellow London florist, we were all hoping for something a bit different.
Me too. Anemones are my favorite flower.
“it’s a shame to let these flowers go to waste, I’m just going to jack this massive floral arrangement!” –Dying.
I had to look up foxgloves, too–not what I would expect for a bridal bouquet.
Given that the Latin name is digitalis and that foxgloves are poisonous they seem a rather strange flower to choose, if indeed they have been.
Coincidentally, I have just planted some in my garden today!
I love the look of Foxglove. BUT, Foxglove can be dangerous. Digitalis can stop your heart! I’ve never been to a wedding reception where the children weren’t all about playing with the flowers (and plenty of the adults too). I really question this choice.
I don’t believe it is coincidence spidee.
Who you beefin’ with? lol
They are lovely in a garden. They look nice in a wild looking country garden and I am sure yours will be beautiful. The best part of spring are the blooms.
If anyone has ever been to Portland Oregon when it blooms it is incredible. All of that rain pays off in the end.
I didn’t see that it was chosen for her bouquet. It could well be in the church rather than her bouquet.
No lily of the valley 🙁
And they’re even in season then! I love lilies of the valley. Their fragrance is so intoxicating!
My birthday is in May and that’s the May flower; I have always loved them.
@minx – they are invasive little suckers, but they smell soooooo good!
Kate used a metric ton of lily of the valley. I love the flower like few others but…
Foxgloves, particularly the white ones, are gorgeous.
I agree! I think they’re beautiful and I knew exactly what they are.
Indeed are beautiful, they will offset the peonies shape so elegantly.
Can’t wait, I’m sure it will be a beautiful bouquet.
They are a staple in every English cottage garden.
I love roses and peonies, but they are both round in shape and busy-looking with lots of petals — the simple shape of the foxglove can offset that so the arrangements don’t look too busy. And they can be used to add height to larger arrangements and to give them a more sprawling, natural look.
I’m more into flowers than dresses — so I’m excited by these choices. I’m also hoping for some color too — maybe even a few blush roses and peonies — I get tired of the tasteful all-white arrangements.
Aren’t foxgloves poisonous?
I don’t think she’s going to eat her bouquet, although that would add to the Meghan the rule breaker myth.
😅😅
The bigger concern is young children eating them. Hopefully they will keep them out of reach and give the kids the other flowers.
@Merritt, I’m sure babies aren’t going to be crawling around eating the floral arrangements, so it will be fine. Kids generally don’t bite into flowers past the age of 2.
Half of any garden is poisonous — including lily-of-the-valley. So if that were a criterion — brides would only be able to decorate with fake flowers.
Man, I don’t know. I grew up IN the garden, and I never felt obliged to eat a flower. Fox gloves at my great aunts (next door) and in my aunts giant gardens. Flowers weren’t for eating and I wasn’t shoving them in my mouth while people laughed and recorded it for views or anything.
I get that kids can slip away, and kids aren’t all the same – but I really don’t think eating flowers is THAT big of a concern. They grow wild throughout the UK and I don’t think there’s a huge issue with kids eating them. I also grew up with Clematis, Hydrangea, Azalea, Daffodils, Lily of the Valley, Calla Lily, etc. They’re all toxic in some shape or form to people/animals.
@Erinn – yeah, I know my kids.
the medicine digoxin is a used for the heart. it is from the foxglove plant, digitalis which can be poisonous.
@Merritt, Or, you know, the parents could watch their children at a wedding and make sure they don’t eat the floral arrangements :/
Foxgloves are beautiful flowers and I love that she’s obviously going with what she likes rather than strictly traditional.
Even the best parents lose sight of their kids in crowded spaces.
Do kids eat flowers? I’ve never seen one do that.
@Mandy seriously, what’s up with all this concern trolling here about the poisonous flowers? i’m sure they’re fine. they only have practically every resource in the world to keep the kids from the flowers.
See my post above!
From Wikipedia for ‘Foxglove’: “This biennial plant is often grown as an ornamental plant due to its vivid flowers which range in colour from various purple tints through pink, light gray, and purely white.”
I never heard of Foxglove before so had to look them up. I do hope she chose white they would be gorgeous in a cascading bouquet!
Does anyone actually care about her flowers? I can’t imagine a more boring thing to think about ..
your name is rose and you don’t realize that some people are really into flowers and plants? 🤔
🙂 🙂
Bethany F you win the internets today!
I’m glad to read any tidbit about this wedding. Invitations, flowers, dresses…
Me too! I’m really enjoying the slow trickle of wedding details.
And tiaras! I’m more interested in the tiara than the dress.
Yes Rose i care about flowers! I’m slightly obsessed actually. I follow Preston Bailey & other florists on Instagram. I’m the bitch at COSTCO who actually buys the flowers so yes….I care about flowers a lot They add so much to a wedding.
Costco, Trader Joe’s, the farmer’s market, my own garden…I must be surrounded by flowers at all times. My house is never without SOME kind of fresh flower. I get made fun of for my frivolity, but damn it…I’d rather have nature’s beauty in my home than another flipping candle.
I love her choices. I’m fed to the gills with another all-rose bouquet…in 4 of the 5 weddings I’ve attended in the last year, the bridal bouquet was nothing but plain roses with the plain satin ribbon wrap. No texture, no nothing. Man, throw some english ivy tendrils, or asparagus fern, or even hellebore in with the choices Meghan has made and she’d have flower arrangement champion status for the ages.
I understand I love flowers too.
They make me happy and brighten rooms, but I have to be careful with cats because some are poisonous.
How sad for you. Flowers are enchanting. I love that she chose peonies, they’re gorgeous. Lily of the valley would be a great choice, but Kate Middleton’s bouquet was lily of the valley and Meghan probably wants to do something different.
Apropos username! My bouquet had palm leaves and gardenias. It was so lovely and the flowers somehow survived the heat of a 106 degree Arizona day!
White lilac. White lilac with peonies and roses would be beautiful. And it also is lovely and smelly. And, I believe, in season?
Yes. I have the blackest of black thumbs and kill everything I touch, but I love looking at flowers and gardens. I fell down the black hole of looking at this florist’s work and her stuff is gorgeous. I also love clothing and design. I personally find science boring. But everybody is different.
I care about the flowers in equal measure to her dress and the chapel. It does not/should not impact the marriage and it is all equally superficial if you get right down to it. But then my father (and oldest brother) have horticulture degrees from a good uni and I grew up with 5 acres of greenhouses. I love love love the garden look and I think most brides have bouquets that are sorely lacking and forgettable. Curious how this one plays out.
I LOVE peonies!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can have the one lurking under my spirea, I dig it up every year and it just keeps coming back!
Me too. They are one of my favorites. Much prefer them over roses.
I don’t know why the public give flowers. I guess it is for a similar reason a theater actress is given flowers on opening night. I was in Russia and the singer for a classical music concert or a ballerina was brought flowers by children in the audience whose parents had bought flowers before the show for their children to give her. I’m sure there is a cultural element that I don’t know.
Prolly for the boring reason that flowers are less controversial than gifts, animals or food.
I think it’s just a thoughtful gesture. My daughter performed in plays and band concerts in high school and we would bring her flowers at her final performances.
It’s like bringing flowers to a hostess or sending them to mark an occasion–a little bit of beauty, you know?
We brought flowers for my nephew’s opening and closing nights’ performances when he was in his high school plays. Other parents brought flowers for their kids, too. It’s just a custom, I guess; and I have to say, I love seeing the joy on the kids’ faces as they accept them.
I go to our local community theater performances, and (usually) family almost always brings flowers on opening night especially.
Foxglove, interesting choice. they need to make sure the kids don’t play with them or put them in their mouths they way toddlers can do sometimes because ingesting it can case liver damage. There is a cardiac medication that is derived from foxglove called digoxin. It is not used as much anymore because there are better medications and digoxin toxicity is a serious side effect.
I love foxgloves and I knew exactly what they are. They’re a common garden flower in Western North Carolina. I think they’re unexpected in a royal floral arrangement which makes me like the choice even more.
I love foxgloves but I haven’t grown them; I can see my occasionally obstreperous children eating them.
Peonies man. That’s the flower.
Creamy white peonies would be stunning with white foxglove. Maybe with a peachy rose?
I have both white and purple foxgloves in my garden. Bees love them!
FYI: Foxgloves are very useful plants for insects, especially bees. They provide pollen and nectar from April to May, are absolutely easy to grow (for untalented gardeners like myself ;)) and they’re cheap. Don’t be afraid to plant some.
@ Skylark I whole heartedly agree.
peonies are perfection at a wedding
I totally have a black thumb in the garden. But I am putting in my first flower bed in this house with easy things like zinnias and nasturtiums. I’ll put in foxgloves once my kids are a little more reliable about that kind of thing. Fingers crossed!
Two years ago I found seeds for giant sunflowers. I planted a bunch and they grew 12 feet tall.They were super easy to grow, and it was amazing how tall they got! I took about 500 seeds and scattered them along both sides of the river close to me. I hope they helped some birds and bees, not just the mice.
I looooove peonies. I designed my wedding bouquet to be all white (roses, peonies, gardenias, and stephanotis) with pops of green apple blossoms. Somewhere a mistake was made and my bouquet showed up with pink peonies instead of white. It was the best mistake ever because they looks so beautiful with the other white flowers and the green apple blossoms. Pink peonies are now my favorite flower.
You had such a great attitude! I hope you’ve been happier than any bridezilla, too.
Thank you @graymatters! I’ll be married 10 years on May 17th–happily married with two little loud midgets! As for the flowers, it just wasn’t a big deal because they were still beautiful and the color still worked (my bridesmaids carried pink roses so I’m guessing that was possibly somehow what caused the gaffe in the colors?) The only thing we cared about that day was that everyone had a great time and that the food was good. Best day ever!
I love this. And each flower has meaning.
That there donated is great too. I’m sure someone will dry or freeze or somehow preserve them and auction off for the causes.
Centerpieces… love them. 1 wedding had those huge clear vases and beta fish with bamboo. Tricky getting home, but that fish lived for 3 years:)
FLORC, did you hijack the fish or were you given permission to take it home and give it a better life? I do like the image of you kidnapping the fish centerpieces to give them better lives!
Nota
That’s a great question… the answer is… I took it assuming it could be taken.
Nothing as noble as your image! It looked cool and the vase was really interesting in the design. Pier 1. It did have a great life!
I stayed in a hotel where they would bring you a fish in a bowl with flowers. I was uncomfortable with it until I found out the fish were well cared for and treated humanely. I had visions of fish being flushed when they didn’t want to be bothered. They had someone who cared for them. Yes, I am THAT person, but living things aren’t props.
@nota I like the way you think. Fishnapping should be a thing.
This isn’t a criticism on Harry and Meg because I know Charles and Diana’s wedding probably cost taxpayers a fortune as did Will and Kate’s wedding, but holly crap when you see these figures and that taxpayers are fronting a huge bulk of the cash it just makes me scream “off with their heads!” Monarchies should just be cut off from tax funds, they have enough wealth as is and should pay for whatever they want out of their own pockets.
As a side note what happens if the people revolt and overthrow the monarchy? What happens to all the land, jewels wealth etc?
The royals keep their personal wealth in whatever form it takes, and the rest is given back to the govt.
Of course in more violent overthrow of monarchy ears, the royals forfeited everything and the govt kept it all -see Russia.
Some more than others definitely, but seconding the fact that some royals do have private wealth that has not come from crown or taxpayers.
Diana’s divorce settlement took all of Charles’s private funds, with nothing coming from The Duchy because he doesn’t own it personally.
Doesn’t HM have a load of personal wealth hidden away unseen and unaccounted for like most wealthy people? I know she has real estate in New York. Prime too.
Kentucky horse farm too.
This probably isn’t everything – but this is a nice little summary of the largest/most valuable holdings, some belonging to the crown, some privately held.
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-of-the-uk-does-the-queen-own-2017-6
I also ran across an article that mentioned the Duchys of Lancaster and Cornwall investing in companies that are based in notorious tax havens – Bermuda and the Caymans.
Jetlagged: As wealthy as HM is, it’s incredibly irritating when articles like that do not make a clear line between what is her personal property and state property. All of what she holds in trust is held as a private entity, BUT it doesn’t belongs to her. Many reports on her wealth or the wealth of the crown frequently blur the lines and end up with high estimates of her wealth because of those blurred lines.
It’s hard to justify taxpayer funds used in what is essentially a private, family wedding ie not a State occasion. Quite a leap from the modest affair originally announced. It’s totally understandable that taxpayers are angry with security costs when public health services (among others) are heavily squeezed due to austerity ideology.
In this case, adding the carriage ride and a 2600-strong cheering squad contributes mightily to already large security bills, as does extra police are deployed just in case. Given the public mood, extreme levels of inequality in the UK and in the name of fairness and common sense, the RF could and should pick up security costs for AT LEAST the carriage ride and 2600 outside audience. Security can be seen in two tiers here: (1) that which is always provided, and (2) extra aka non-essential elements added by the BRF. The latter costs should be borne by the BRF. Other costs for the wedding should be paid for by the families/individuals concerned, with no public subsidy whatsoever. Sadly, the public will be none the wiser if public money is used or the amount given the refusal by the BRF to be transparent with funds supplied. To be clear, Jack and Eugenie should also be held to account in exactly the same way when their time comes. The public has better things to fund.
Amen. Especially when you hear about the dire straits of the National Health Service and the wave of doctor suicides, it just all seems so gross. That said, not my government, and I admit I’m excited to watch the wedding! 😛
I liked the trees that were brought in for will and Kate’s wedding. I thought I read that Kate thought of doing that. Is that true?
I liked the trees, but i hated their use because they obscured the beauty of the building. Westminster didn’t need improving.
I read that as well. The aisle, lined with the trees, looked beautiful!
I remember the tv commentators saying Charles was responsible for the floral design at Westminster. Of course, it was an ungodly hour in the US and I may have been hallucinating due to sleep deprivation.
The Abbey is beautiful in its own right; the trees obscured it somewhat.
I like the choice of flowers chosen by Meghan and Harry. It suggests a more ethereal, less formal feel which I hope that is the case.
Kudos to Kaiser for the bottom picture of her holding a supermarket bouquet wrapped in cellophane with the price tag still on and a plastic bag at the bottom, so it doesn’t drip (also known as my wedding bouquet).
Peonies are gorgeous
A question for someone more knowledgable about British royalty than me: When it says that Charles pays or the Queen pays, isn’t it really the tax payers too then who are really paying? In maybe a roundabout way.
Yes, pretty much. Even their ‘private’ wealth is from assets inherited and/or owned by the ‘crown’. While at the same time tax payers pay for renovations to their homes, palaces etc. It’s insane that while the NHS is crumbling and they are talking about potentially increasing taxes, we are also paying for another wedding – directly and indirectly. Madness.
Thanks for answering!
They do have private wealth that isn’t from the taxpayers and has never been owned by the crown or the people. How that has been handled, and the tax breaks they’ve been given on that private wealth are completely different issues.
Everything they own came from the masses.
They have private wealth, and a lot of it is hidden from public view. Their private wealth is actually unknown. I don’t believe it all originates from taxpayers at this point because I think it comes from different sources. HM has real estate in New York and around the country. For some reason, I believe someone told me she is a silent partner or an unnamed investor that isn’t public knowledge for the most part.
Perhaps LAK or nota or one of the CB royal experts know.
What Clare said. She’s 100% right. The BRF is notoriously tight with their ‘own’ money when they can dip into the public purse at will. Yes, it is utter madness to indulge these very ordinary people can call them ‘royal’. Such a silly piece of nonsense in the 21st century.
No, she’s not right. They do have private wealth that doesn’t come from taxpayers. Accrued the same way aristocrats did in the early years, through inheritance and marriages to those with money. The Dutch royals are an example of those with loads of private wealth.
Meghan used to post alot of photos of peonies on her Insta – I think they are her fave flower. Peonies are kind of the basic rich girl flower these days, or so my florist-to-the-stars friend tells me
They are, but it doesn’t dim their beauty!
Historically they were a common flower, but by that I mean 1900s to 1960s. The open field behind my house was called Peony Field because peonies were a crop grown there. We are talking many acres not under glass. The family road I would walk to get to my dad’s greenhouses was “Peony Field Road.” I think of them as very common, especially as it was in half the yards around the neighborhood growing up. Seriously, just walk any neighborhood and you could have an instant bouquet. For me the problem with peonies is that ants can really love peonies. I would love to see heather and ranunculus included, maybe oncidiums and the odd cypripedium. (check google images) That would be awesome sauce.
I love peonies but am hesitant to grow them since they only bloom for a few weeks and then they’re just a shrub (I don’t know if the tree type peonies grow in my zone).
They can bloom a month easy and if you get different heirloom types you could manage a 2 month or longer window. I find the bushes attractive. You know what other flower would go with a garden-type aesthetic is delphinium. The deep blue is rather grand.
Yeah, they are, but they are such an easy flower. I like some exotic flowers, but they aren’t suitable for weddings unless someone is doing something unconventional in different settings.
All this flower talk is making my day, especially for Spring. 🙂
Flowers / toys received at these engagements are usually sent to the local hospital after royal leaves.
$70k for a CAKE???
I would never plant anything that could be poisonous to an animal.
No kidding.
Lol, I’d have a barren garden if I did that, the only plants that will survive the wildlife are herbs and poisonous plants. Animals tend to know what not to eat though, and kids can be taught pretty young.
Most wild animals have an instinct about plants. It is the domesticated ones that can be a problem. Nature is brimming with poisonous plants and fungi, but the animals know to stay away. My crazy kitten wouldn’t know though and probably attack and eat it.
When we go visit my husband’s cousins with the horse farm, and we ride the trails the horses like to graze a little, but I have seen them skip over some things. The barn cats, rescues that aren’t suited for indoor homes, never seem to have issues and they have a garden.
There are so many other things I worry about with animals, and it is human beings and what we do.
Magnoliarose is right, the problem is more in theory than in real life. Both wild and domestic animals ignore the plants. And if we go by that rule we would have to cease and desist with all our plastic everythings because the plastic in the oceans are ruining things over there.
In the language of flowers, this is what you get from a boquet of white roses, peonies and foxgloves:
Purity, Happy Marriage, and Insincerity.
There’s a reason why some flowers are more common at weddings than others, heheh.
I was looking for that translation then i got distracted.
Oops on the Foxgloves. May be she’ll make it up with the greenery.
I wouldn’t say ‘oops’ necessarily. The Foxglove has both hurt and heal properties. Which I think is rather thoughtful as a choice, if it was chosen for that reason since marriage can be a long haul load of hurt and heal!
But who knows, Meghan may just love the look of foxgloves and thought ‘I’m having some of them in my bouquet’ with no thought whatsoever to their symbolism!
Or she picked a flower with meaning for both sides. How thoughtful of her.
I also found a site that says foxgloves symbolize stateliness and youth. I think some people are reaching for the negative with everything Meghan does.
Noooo, she’s a two faced vixen, and those foxgloves PROVES it, so there!!!!
I get it! Fox! Gloves! Swiper! Swiper from Dora the Explorer = Meghan. She swiped Prince Harry from under their noses! Swiper, no swiping!
@Ankhel
Careful. The loons will believe you. 😉
Oh boy, they will won’t they? 😂
Ankhel / Magnoliarose : The flowers are merely speculation, but even having fun with speculation makes us ha8ers.
I adore the Victorian language of flowers, but it wasn’t an exact science ie depending on the source, one may find different meanings. The fact that we both found a site that attributes insincerity to Fox Gloves doesn’t mean some other Victorian didn’t give them a different meaning because they often did.
Then you’ve got other civilisations and eras rebranding or giving entirely different meanings to the same plant based on an entirely different set of values eg their ability to heal or a particular belief system.
The Victorians tended to give meanings to flowers for superficial reasons. One doesn’t have to accept their branding, but can take it in the spirit of fun.
To the people bitching about the foxglove..
Most flowers that get used in weddings are toxic. I had beautiful stargazer Lily’s in mine :toxic
Tons of flowers and plants are toxic. Tons
If people can keep kids from eating the neighbors hedge, I am sure they can keep their kids from eating the bridal bouquet and the centerpieces
Sure, foxgloves (like most flowers) are poisonous, but it’s not like they’re handing out posies. They’re centerpieces. If your child is crawling in the middle of a table or at the alter during a royal wedding, you’re maybe not doing it right. (And I say this as the parent of 3 kids, one of whom ran around with a bare bottom, laughing with glee as fast as her chunky little legs could carry her while I desperately tried to catch her at her aunt’s wedding).