24 May 2023 , 10:59
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It's the annual event that was a favourite of the late Queen and always attracts a flurry of royal guests.
So it's no surprise that this year's Chelsea Flower Show has seen senior royals including King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales all attending.
However, royal insiders are reportedly 'alarmed' that the monarch's first visit to the show since becoming King appeared to be eclipsed by his daughter-in-law Kate.
The Princess made a surprise visit to the event, where she joined a children's picnic and toured the showground with youngsters.
The picnic initiative aimed to help bring gardening and nature into the lives of more children, something that has been championed by Kate.
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Kate at the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday (Getty Images)
King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the show on the same day (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)She inspired the idea during a conversation with the Royal Horticultural Society in 2019 when her garden was on show at Chelsea.
Later that day, the King and Queen also visited the show but seemingly did not receive the same amount of coverage.
And one royal courtier told the Daily Mail's Richard Eden of the King's visit: "It's a shame that his visit with Her Majesty the Queen received less coverage than it might have expected to.
"I hope they are not too disappointed."
Kate toured the show with young children (Jordan Pettitt/AP/REX/Shutterstock)During Charles and Camilla's visit to the show, the couple strolled the gardens separately with the King admitting he was on the lookout for something to fill a patch in his garden at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire home after rabbits took a liking to some of his plants.
When he stopped at designer Jane Porter's garden Choose Love, a lavender sage plant – salvia lavandulifolia – with delicate purple flowers caught his eye.
The designer created the garden for the Choose Love charity, which supports asylum seekers across the globe, and featured plants like old varieties of roses from the Middle East or irises from North Africa that those seeking sanctuary would recognise.
Charles tours a garden with designer Jamie Butterworth (Oliver Dixon/REX/Shutterstock)She added: "He was really interested in one of the plants we've got because at Highgrove something's being eaten by rabbits and he wants to replace it.
"I love that, that's brilliant, he's such a keen gardener. I'm sure he would have his eye out for all sorts of things – he was very knowledgeable about everything in the garden."
Meanwhile, Camilla admired a garden swing in the Hamptons Mediterranean Gardens, designed by Filippo Dester.
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She received some encouragement and was told: "You're welcome to have a try of the swing if you want."
Camilla sniffs some of the flowers at the show (Getty Images)The Queen quickly accepted and once she sat down joked: "I might stay here."
Before leaving, the couple rejoined to present the new Elizabeth Medal of Honour, which recognises British and international non-horticulturists, and horticulturists from overseas, who have significantly advanced the science, art or practice of horticulture for the benefit of all and the environment.
The award will be confined to 70 recipients at any one time in reference to the 70 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
Recipients were the world-renowned garden designer Piet Oudolf, Baroness Janet Fookes, a leading voice in Westminster on the importance of horticulture, and environmental champion Judy Ling Wong.