The monarch requested ‘sustainable’ blooms for the occasion (Picture: Getty Images)
King Charles requested flowers from the rich gardens of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle for his first state banquet tonight.
The monarch ordered ‘sustainable’ blooms for the occasion.
A spokesperson from Buckingham Palace confirmed it was the King’s decision to make the green-fingered request.
They said: ‘They are all seasonal and from the gardens of Buckingham Palace and Windsor. They have not been flown in from around the world.’
Meanwhile, crab apples – a forager’s delight – were brought all the way from Kent for the banquet.
The foliage included variegated berried ivy, trailing green ivy, flowering viburnum, mahonia japonica and berried cotoneaster.
Joined by the Queen Consort, the monarch greeted South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa at Horse Guards Parade in London as the two-day trip began.
The flowers were sourced from Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle (Picture: PA)
There were 163 guests at the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace (Picture: PA)
The grand horseshoe-shaped table in the palace ballroom was set for 163 people, and was decorated with sustainable blooms personally requested by His Majesty.
Charles and Camilla followed the late Queen’s tradition of inspecting the table to make sure everything was in order, ahead of the evening event in honour of Mr Ramaphosa.
The table at the event was decorated with 23 large flower arrangements in silver-gilt centre pieces.
Cyclamen, nerines, rosehips, anemones, amaryllis, chrysanthemum blooms and hydrangea made up the elaborate display.
The King and Queen were said to have been ‘involved in every aspect of the state visit’.
The table was also decorated with more than 100 ivory-coloured candles in silver-gilt candelabra, with displays of dates, pineapples, grapes and pears.
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‘They are all seasonal and from the gardens of Buckingham Palace and Windsor.’
