Queen Elizabeth II has made a surprise appearance at the Chelsea Flower Show in a buggy.
On Monday 23 May, the 96-year-old monarch arrived at the annual flower show in London in a bright pink jacket and white floral dress. The Queen accessorised the outfit with white gloves and multiple strands of pearls.
In photos from her appearance at the Royal Horticultural Society’s show, the royal, who has recently struggled with mobility issues, could be seen smiling widely as she sat in the backseat of the white buggy while being driven around the exhibit a day before it is set to open to the public.
According to the BBC, the buggy, which appears to be made by Garia, a Danish company that makes luxury golf carts, belongs to the Royal Household.
In a statement to the outlet, Buckingham Palace said the royal’s attendance at the annual flower show came after “adjustments [had] been made for the Queen’s comfort”.
The last time the Queen used a buggy during a public outing was in 2013, during an event in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, the BBC reports.
The Queen’s attendance at the flower show, which comes just days before a number of events will kick-off in celebration of her Platinum Jubilee, marks the latest in a series of surprise public outings.
However, the royal’s attendance at the flower show is not surprising, as the monarch has attended the Chelsea Flower Show more than 50 times during her 70-year reign.
During her most recent visit, the Queen was shown around 10 gardens, including one display that celebrates her 70-year reign, by Keith Weed, the president of The Royal Horticultural Society. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Garden display features a silhouette of the Queen surrounded by 70 potted plants to represent each year of her reign.
The Queen was not the only member of the royal family in attendance at the Chelsea Flower Show, as the event was also attended by Princess Beatrice, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
The Chelsea Flower Show’s return to its May date comes after the annual garden show was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and rescheduled in 2021 to September.
