Camilla reveals wish to become joint patron of ‘favourite' Garden Museum

South Wales Guardian

04-06-2025

Camilla visited an exhibition held by the Garden Museum in south London on Wednesday to celebrate British Flowers Week.
She told attendees she had spoken to the King, who is already a patron, about joining him after previously joking during a visit last year about 'nudging' Charles from his position.
Speaking during the visit on Wednesday, she said: 'I have said to my husband and talked to the office as I would very much like to become joint patron. This is one of my favourite places and it never ceases to surprise me', which prompted cheers and applause from the crowd.
Gardener and TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh, the president of the Garden Museum, said he would be following up Camilla's decision to become joint patron 'with a letter with a strong invitation'.
Of her wish to become joint patron, he added: 'I wouldn't want to tread on His Majesty's toes but I think he would be delighted that Her Majesty is every bit as keen as he is.'
Dressed in a polka dot dress and cream and black-toed shoes, Camilla was greeted by Titchmarsh and Christopher Woodward and Rupert Tyler, the Garden Museum's director and chairman of trustees.
She told them the museum 'just gets better and better. I think it is hard to get it better but it always manages'.
The Queen viewed six installations featuring British cut flowers and met the artists behind them, discussing the importance of diversifying as well as plant upkeep techniques.
Camilla was accompanied at times by Sarah Hardy, the deputy director, and florist Shane Connolly, who designed the floral arrangements for the coronation in 2023.
She also viewed Cecil Beaton's Garden Party, a display which included portraits of Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth), the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret.
Camilla then met schoolchildren from Evelyn Grace Academy and Platanos College in south-west London to learn about the biology of the tea plant at the museum.
She told the children her favourite tea was mint but that she also liked lemon barley, adding they were 'nice to have after an evening meal' as they helped to digest it.
She tried her hand at making mint teabags with the museum's plant science educator, Samia Qureshi. Camilla sniffed and placed the herbs in the drawstring bags and said: 'I shall sample that tonight.'
Reaching the museum's cafe, she received a bouquet of flowers from head chef Myles Donaldson's daughter, Darcie, four, before telling cafe staff: 'I wish I was staying'.