Queen Camilla heads to The Garden Museum on London’s Southbank

After the Chelsea Flower Show last month, Queen Camilla stepped out for yet another horticulturally-inspired engagement today – at London’s The Garden Museum. 

The royal, 76, was attending a new Gardening Bohemia Exhibition on Wednesday at the attraction on the Southbank in the capital.

It’s been a busy week for the King’s wife; after marking D-Day celebrations in France last week with the King and hosting her Reading Room Literary festival on Saturday. 

Despite her relentless schedule, Camilla, wearing a smart navy and cream skirt-suit and taupe suede heels, looked in cheery spirits as she arrived at the museum in London’s Lambeth Place this morning

The exhibition at the character-laden church-turned museum is now dedicated to gardening exhibits – and the Queen, like the King, is known to have green fingers. 

Queen Camilla said it was a joy to ‘celebrate women gardeners’ at a new horticultural exhibition today.

She was viewing ‘Gardening Bohemia’ that celebrates the gardens of 20th century women such as Virginia Wolf at the Garden Museum in London.

Her Majesty, who is a regular visitor to the attraction in Lambeth, said: ‘I know my husband is the patron but I might have the nudge him, I’d quite like to take that one away from him because it’s such a special place that every time I’m asked I just have to come back again.

‘I think this wonderful exhibition celebrating women’s gardening is so important, so beautifully curated by Claudia, I hope it attracts many visitors.

‘I’m so glad that you are celebrating all the women who are these great gardeners because we do love gardening, as a gardener myself.

‘It’s quite often the men who get celebrated and not the women, so I think you’re doing a brilliant job here by sharing what they do. So thank you very much.’

The Queen was accompanied throughout the visit by Alan Titchmarsh, who is president of the museum and said he was thrilled by Her Majesty’s enthusiasm: ‘She loves this museum, she comes at least once or twice a year. 

‘We would be very happy to have the Queen and the King as patron, either or both. We just love that she loves to come.

‘She’s a great gardener and I know that Ray Mills is a wonderful retreat for her with her own garden. Gardening is a wonderful escape regardless if you’re a King, Queen or an ordinary joe.’

The museum was bustling with guests lining up to meet Queen Camilla, including three female gardeners from Buckingham Palace who had also been invited.

On arrival Her Majesty, who was wearing a navy and white dress by Fiona Clare, also met Christopher Woodward, the Garden Museum’s President, Rupert Tyler, Director and Chair of Trustees, and Florist Shane Connolly, who designed the floral arrangements for Their Majesties’ Coronation in 2023.

Accompanied by curators Dr Claudia Tobin and Emma House, Her Majesty viewed the museum’s exhibition ‘Gardening Bohemia: Bloomsbury Women Outdoors’ that explores the gardens of the 20th century writer Virginia Woolf, her sister Vanessa Bell, arts patron Ottoline Morrell and garden designer Vita Sackville-West.

Adding to the relaxed atmosphere, the Queen was introduced to Virginia Nicholson, granddaughter of Vanessa Bell, who told Camilla: ‘I used to go to parties at your great grandmother’s place in Florence!’

Her Majesty was also very taken by a pair of colourful gardening boots belonging to Ottoline Morrell, loaned to the museum from Fashion Museum Bath.

‘They are really beautiful, wonderful stitching. I’ll have the boots, they are really cool,’ she said.

Queen Camilla then viewed a seventeenth century tapestry depicting a woman gardening in spring, which was recently acquired by the museum as well as landscaping plans of well-known 20th and 21st century British gardens in the Archive of Garden Design.

She also met author Alice Vincent who showcased her exhibition of photos showing modern female gardeners linked to her new book, Why Women Grow, which she gave to Queen Camilla.

They discussed how gardening is a form of ‘escapism’ and their love of gardener Sarah Raven, who was included in the display and sells her own seed varieties.

Queen Camilla said: ‘Between us we have had a lot of her seeds come our way.’

Her Majesty also observed a ‘Clay for Dementia’ session inspired by the Gardening Bohemia exhibition as part of the museum’s learning programme.

The free sessions, which have been led by ceramicist Katie Spragg since 2017, run throughout the summer to provide an opportunity for creativity and social connection for people with dementia and their carers.

The Queen met volunteers who help to support the workshops and was gifted a pressed flower by volunteer Lori Hayden, 72.

Before leaving Her Majesty was presented with a posy in the Garden Museum’s courtyard by four-year-old Emily Warwick.

The flowers were cut from the garden of royal florist Shane Connolly, who also attended the event.

He said afterwards: ‘I cut them from my garden because to give her something from my garden is more special than anything that can be bought.

‘They [Charles and Camilla] get what this is about, and gardening is for everyone it’s not just for people who’ve got big estates, they realise that and this is a facility for people to come and see the therapy that a garden provides.’

Mr Connolly, who was awarded royal warrants by Queen Elizabeth II and Charles when he was the Prince of Wales, also said he was ‘thrilled’ to recently receive warrants from the King and Queen.

Last night, the King showed off his showbusiness credentials as he was joined by a host of celebrity ambassadors including David Beckham to mark the star-studded inaugural King’s Foundation Awards.

Charles, 75, whose diary remains busy despite his cancer treatment continuing, was joined at St James’ Palace in London by close friend Sir Rod Stewart and his wife Penny Lancaster, who shared a peck on the cheek with the monarch.

Actress Sienna Miller, editor Edward Enninful, model Naomi Campbell, gardener and presenter Alan Titchmarsh and chef Raymond Blanc also handed out awards. 

Earlier this week, Camilla hosted some of the world’s top authors at her second annual Reading Room Literary festival, which took place at Hampton Court Palace in South West London.

During the aftermath, American thriller writer Harlan Coben introduced the Queen to her ‘biggest fan’ New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin, who proclaimed it was ‘an honour of a lifetime’ to meet the royal. 

The 11-time best selling writer also revealed she had ‘slept on the streets’ just to get a glimpse of the Queen during her coronation in May 2023.

Upon meeting the royal she took a bow, before apologising on behalf of Harlan for failing to do the same. Revealing her down to earth nature, Camilla quipped she too would be ‘horrified’ if she was Emily, before bursting into a sweet giggle.

Sparking the conversation was Harlan Coben, who said to the Queen: ‘I just want to introduce you to number one New York Times best selling author Emily Giffin who is your biggest fan – and she is so excited to meet you’.

‘It is an honour of a lifetime’ added Emily. ‘I came over for your Coronation. I just so admire you’ she continued.

Stunned by such dedication, Camilla asked ‘you came over?’ to which Emily replied ‘Yes I slept on the street for two nights… it was an honour of my lifetime’.

The author then went on to thank the Queen for hosting the festival and for ‘all the wonderful work you do’.

But things took a hilarious turn when Emily shared she had once trained Harlan on the customs of the British Royal Family, most notably bowing etiquette.

When Harlan conceded he ‘messed up’ when it came to remembering the rules, Emily took it upon herself to apologise for his slip up.

‘He’s very sorry that he didn’t bow before he shook your hand’ she said. The pair then burst into what sounded like nervous laughter.

Camilla then quipped: ‘I’d be horrified if I was you’ and launched into a little giggle of her own.