King Charles and Queen Camilla put in an appearance at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 on Monday, celebrating the joy of gardening in the grounds of Royal Hospital Chelsea.
The green-fingered monarch, who is Patron of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), was in great spirits as he arrived at the press day for the event, which brings together an exquisite array of show gardens, nurseries and floral displays.
In a nod to King Charles' lighthearted tradition at Highgrove, the RHS has officially revoked its ban on gnomes for this year's event. A lineup of celebrities – including Alan Titchmarsh CBE, Tom Allen, Frances Tophill, Bill Bailey, Angellica Bell, Sir Brian May, and Baroness Floella Benjamin – have customized and painted their own gnomes.
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© Getty ImagesThese will be displayed in the RHS and King’s Foundation Curious Garden before being auctioned off to raise money for the RHS Campaign for School Gardening.
Elsewhere at the show, Angela Rippon will take to Main Avenue to recreate her legendary 1976 dance routine alongside a Morecambe and Wise tribute act on the Eden Project: Bring Me Sunshine Garden.
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© Getty ImagesMeanwhile, inside the Great Pavilion, Primrose Hall Peonies will present a striking display featuring a 'Peony Muse' inside a bathtub overflowing with vibrant blossoms.
King Charles' special display
King Charles recently spearheaded a joint partnership between The King's Foundation and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) for the 2026 Curious Garden.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesDesigned by a horticulturist, author and presenter Frances Tophill, it is championed by the monarch and King's Foundation ambassadors David Beckham and Alan Titchmarsh.
The design features include an oak building representing a 'museum of curiosities', seven raised plant beds as a nod to David's England number 7 shirt, and Delphiniums celebrating King Charles III being Patron of the Delphinium Society.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesDavid Beckham's special rose
Sir David Beckham debuted a new white English shrub rose named in his honor. Beckham helped design the garden exhibit alongside the King Charles and gardening expert Alan.
The 'Sir David Beckham Rose' boasts a robust growth habit and a distinct fragrance with notes of banana, clove, and myrrh. The name was a heartwarming 50th birthday idea from his daughter, Harper.
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© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesBeckham enjoyed the creative process, stating that he hopes the display encourages younger generations to discover the joys of the hobby. He noted: "Gardening brings people together across generations... To be part of something that celebrates that and the heritage of the English rose feels very meaningful to me."
King Charles the eco warrior
A recipient of Harvard Medical School's 2007 Global Environmental Citizen Award, His Majesty continues to champion the natural world today. He famously launched the Coronation Meadows Project, which has successfully created over 100 wildflower fields across the UK to protect declining native flora.
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The Highgrove Estate in Gloucestershire is King Charles' passion project, putting his interest in nature front and centre. Over the course of 45 years, Charles has transformed it into a world-renowned, 15-acre organic paradise.
Affectionately known as 'The Boss' among his gardening team, the monarch reportedly frequently visits the grounds with a pruning saw in hand, pulling weeds and making design choices.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesGardeners’ World star Alan Titchmarsh recently revealed that Charles surprised him with his incredible commitment to horticulture, even after the death of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, in 2022.
"We first met in 1986," he told Radio Times. "I’ve walked around his gardens with him on many occasions, but when he acceded to the throne, I was prepared for horticulture not to occupy quite the same place in his heart and daily life. But nothing could have been further from the truth.
© POOL/AFP via Getty Images"The King has done more for horticulture, gardening, natural history and the environment than anybody else, apart from David Attenborough," he added.
