Queen Camilla sported a striking navy dress as enjoyed touring the museum’s new exhibition called Gardening Bohemia: Bloomsbury Women Outdoors on Wednesday afternoon.
Stunning royal fans, the Queen opted for a smart navy and cream skirt-suit and taupe suede heels to mark the outing. The King’s wife appeared in high spirits as she arrived at London’s Lambeth Place this morning.
The showcase celebrates the gardens of 20th-century women such as Virginia Wolf, her sister Vanessa Bell, garden designer Vita Sackville-West and arts patron Ottoline Morrell.
Speaking to an audience of gardeners and curators at the museum on the Thames’s south bank, the Queen said: “I know my husband is the patron but I might have to 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.”
Camilla 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.”
The Queen, who wore a navy and white dress by Fiona Clare, was met by 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 upon arrival at the museum.
As well as taking the patronage, Camilla was also eager to take home a pair of colourful gardening boots belonging to Ottoline Morrell, lonaed to the museum from Fashion Museum Bath.
“They are really beautiful, wonderful stitching. I’ll have the boots, they are really cool,” she said.
The Queen 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.
Her Majesty said: “Between us we have had a lot of her seeds come our way.”
The Queen 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.