The King and Queen visit RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026
The King and Queen returned to RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 for a year brimming with the celebration of biodiversity and the protection of natural spaces
King Charles III, a keen environmentalist who believes passionately in living in harmony with nature, toured some of the standout gardens and met with the charities he is patron of and whose causes he champions.
This year, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 is brimming with the celebration of
King Charles viewing the King’s Rose on the David Austin display at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025
Speaking after the visit, Frances Tophill said: “The King told me that the garden is everything he hoped it would be, which I feel pretty good about to be honest. He wanted to stay longer and see more, but unfortunately he had to go. Although he was sad the garden would be dismantled soon, he was happy about the plan for it to be relocated at a college for young adults.”
The King admired the garden’s delphiniums – his favourite flowers, a nod to the King’s role as Patron of The Delphinium Society and their prominence at his Highgrove garden. The selection included some rare ones such as Delphinium ‘Alice Artindale’ – a rare double rose-bud type with unique sepal layers, seldom seen today.
Sponsored by King Charles’ charity The King’s Foundation, the King has influenced the design of the garden, alongside charity ambassadors Sir David Beckham – who suggested garlic and Nepeta (catmint) be included, and Alan Titchmarsh CBE, who advised on the horticultural narrative of the garden. Sir David and Alan visited with the King and Queen. Frances Tophill said: “David Beckham said this is his kind of garden and I thought he would enjoy the vegetables the most, but he commented on the wildness of the flowers. I forgot to show him the garlic I grew on my allotment.”
Their Majesties took in the seven plant beds, a reference to Sir David Beckham and the iconic Manchester United and England number seven football shirts he wore throughout his career.
Rose grower David Austin’s debut launch of Sir David Beckham’s rose was showcased in the garden, alongside the King’s own rose, launched at last year’s show. A semi-double, repeat-flowering shrub, The King’s Rose boasts delicate papery petals with distinct stripes in shades of fuchsia pink and white and has a light musk fragrance.
Sir David Beckham’s rose, an English shrub rose launched by David Austin Roses at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026
Coming back after a break, she was anticipated to deliver something great. When entering her The Campaign to Protect Rural England Garden: ‘On the Edge’, the King was left in no doubt she had, admiring the huge sculpture of Mother Nature, or Gaia, nestled among the garden’s naturalistic planting.
After the King’s visit, Sarah said: “The King is connected to the sculpture of Gaia as it’s linked with the work of the King’s Trust. It’s always a privilege to meet the King as we all know he loves nature and it’s an honour to show him around.”
The Gaia sculpture on the show garden The Campaign to Protect Rural England Garden: ‘On the Edge’, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026
Last year’s winner of Garden of the Year is back and Kazuyuki Ishihara says this is likely to be his last Chelsea. King Charles visited his garden for this year, Tokonoma Garden – Sanumaya no Niwa, which has a small traditional Japanese room for family and friends to gather and tell stories.
After the King’s visit, Kazuyuki Ishihara said: “The King joked asking me if I have been here before. He was very grateful that I have been involved in RHS Chelsea for so many years. He said that the use of acers is wonderful in this garden and he would love to come to Japan and see them in nature. He said they are magical and knew every single tree in the garden. I explained that the bonsai in the garden has been used for all my 18 RHS Chelsea Flower Shows in different configurations.”
Kazuyuki Ishihara with his Best in Show-winning garden Cha No Niwa – Japanese Tea garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025
The Tate Britain Garden, designed by Tom Stuart-Smith
The Princess Royal, who has a long-standing relationship with the charity, spoke with the garden’s designer Ashleigh Aylett. The Princess has notably served as the patron for several of their flagship campaigns, including The Jubilee Woods Project, which planted millions of trees for Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, an The First World War Centenary Woods Project, ;which created living memorials across the UK.
Ashleigh said: “We were talking about ancient woodland and why it’s so important to restore. She told me she is removing conifers from her land to let the woodland restore itself.”
In the Great Pavilion, the King headed to the Majestic Trees stand, where he was gifted with Parrotia subaequalis. Eliot Barden of Majestic Trees said: “There are only 14 populations of this plant left in the wild, in China. It’s an incredibly rare cultivar, which has been considered ‘useless’ for a long time and that’s why it almost got lost.”
“The King had shown interest in it and wanted one for the gardens at Balmoral Castle, so that’s why we decided to gift him with one. Having Parrotia subaequalis at the Royal Estates is an act of conservation, because they are looked after by some of the best gardeners in the UK. It will also be interesting to see which conditions the tree prefers, since the King already has two examples at Sandringham and Windsor.”
<i>Parrotia subaequalis</i> (Chinese ironwood) at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026
Three new clematis are being launched at the show: Clematis ITHEMBA, named to support the Red Cross Children’s Hospital Trust; Clematis QUEEN’S NURSE, which was shortlisted for Plant of the Year and aims to raise awareness of the historic Queen’s Nurse charity and its link to the National Garden Scheme; and Clematis ELIZA, named after Ebenezer’s great love, Liza Queripel.
The Queen was gifted Clematis QUEEN’S NURSE by consultant Queen’s Nurse Patricia McDermott. She said: “The Queen liked the colour of the Queen’s Institute of Community Nurses in Guernsey. She’s also a Patron of the Queen’s Nurses. She looked at Clematis Ithemba, which means hope in Zulu, a plant which is raising awareness for the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town in South Africa.”
The King in the Great Pavilion in 2025 at the Raymond Evison Clematis stand
In a year when the RHS Shows go on tour around the country, Their Majesties will be able to enjoy an RHS Show in their own garden, the Royal residence of Sandringham, which will host the first RHS Sandringham Flower Show on 22–26 July. Before RHS Sandringham, the first RHS Badminton Flower Show will happen in the same month. The five RHS Gardens also host Flower Shows throughout the summer and autumn.
