As you might guess from the name, The Chelsea Flower Show is essentially a giant flower show with dramatic gardens and plant exhibits held every year in Chelsea vaguely around now. It’s existed in one form or another since 1862, when it was known as the Royal Horticultural Society Great Spring Show (a bit wordy, that), and has only been cancelled in 1917 and 1918 (due to World War I and the Spanish Flu pandemic), during World War II (because the land they used had been temporarily transformed to an anti-aircraft site), and now, due to the current pandemic. This time at least they were able to put it on line, although nothing compares to being able to smell it, I suspect. One or another royal basically ALWAYS comes out to admire the flora, if they don’t have their own garden there to show off. I have to imagine many people were disappointed that the show was cancelled this year, but at least if we can’t look at the flowers, we can look at all the outfits various royals have sported over the last century or so.
Also: In the process of making this slideshow, I have discovered that the Queen has a favorite Chelsea Flower Show hat, and it’s….bonkers.
