Updated 5/19/2018: As we'd reported before, florist Philippa Craddock created the bouquet held by Meghan Markle and her bridesmaids for the royal wedding. But we didn't know all the little details until now. Most notably? Kensington Palace reports that some of the flowers were handpicked by Prince Harry from the Kensington Palace garden. Have you ever??
The bouquet contains sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine and astrantia in shades of green and white. But you'll also see Forget-Me-Nots, which were Harry's mom, Diana, Princess of Wales’ favorite bloom. That floral tribute was on purpose. There are also sprigs of myrtle, sourced from stems planted at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, by Queen Victoria in 1845. (Whoa.) Queen Elizabeth also carried a bouquet with sprigs of myrtle from that very same plant.
The sweet little clutch is held together with a raw silk ribbon.
According to Kensington Palace, "The tradition of carrying myrtle begun after Queen Victoria was given a nosegay containing myrtle by Prince Albert’s grandmother during a visit to Gotha in Germany. In the same year, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought Osborne House as a family retreat, and a sprig from the posy was planted against the terrace walls, where it continues to thrive today. The myrtle was first carried by Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when she married in 1858."
On Easter Sunday, Kensington Palace announced that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have selected the florist who will be preparing their wedding flowers. Philippa Craddock, who is based in London, often prepares flowers and floral arrangements for weddings, will be working on a selection of arrangements for Markle and Prince Harry.
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This week, we got a sneak peek of the flowers that are (likely) Harry and Meghan's. A truck of several pink and white flowers were spotted outside of Craddock's London store. You can see the pictures here.
In last month's official announcement, Kensington Palace wrote, "Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have chosen floral designer @philippacraddock to create the church flowers for their wedding."
And that's not all. The palace also revealed:
"The displays in St George's Chapel will feature foliage from The Crown Estate and Windsor Great Park, and will use seasonal plants including branches of beech, birch and hornbeam, as well as white garden roses, peonies and foxgloves. The designs will reflect the wild and natural landscapes from which many of the plants will be drawn.
The Royal Parks will also supply pollinator-friendly plants from their wildflower meadows. These plants provide a great habitat for bees and help to sustain healthy and biodiverse ecosystems."
In much the same way that Markle and Prince Harry's wedding cake will feature "seasonal and organic ingredients," their wedding flowers will also seek to combine seasonal, and natural, elements.
Craddock also shared the news on her Instagram account, giving everyone an insight into what working with the couple had been like.
Craddock wrote, "I am loving working with them, it is an incredible privilege, and the designs will be a true reflection of them as a couple, with sustainability at the forefront. We will be using plenty of locally sourced greenery and seasonal flowers including peonies, garden roses and foxglove."
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