All the celebrities at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s opening day including Alex Jones and Princess of Wales

The Princess of Wales made a surprise visit to the Chelsea Flower Show to join pupils from schools for the show’s first children’s picnic. Kate, who co-designed a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2019 to bring the public back in touch with nature, spoke to youngsters picnicking by the site’s bandstand.

The children were drawn from 10 schools involved in the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) School Horticulture Campaign and were treated to an al fresco lunch before the start of the RHS’ world-famous horticultural event. The picnic initiative aims to help bring gardening and nature into the lives of more children, something Kate has championed. The idea came to her during a conversation with RHS in 2019 when her garden was on display at Chelsea. The Princess felt more children should attend the Chelsea Flower Show.

She wasn’t the only famous face on the opening day of the annual show, as One Show presenter Alex Jones, former Welsh rugby captain Gareth Thomas and Dame Judi Dench were among those who attended on the first day. They found that this year, gardens are taking center stage with more weeds, fewer formalities, and more emphasis on letting nature take control. Native plants and trees, nettles, dandelions and a mostly green palette of plants can be found in many of the 36 show gardens, along with salvaged and recycled materials.

Garden designer Andrew Duff, co-chair of the Society of Garden Designers and executive director of the Inchbald School of Design told the Press Association: “There is a clear message about sustainability and environmental factors in an aesthetic way. There’s a loss about what actually’ should a garden suffice?

“Throughout the show you come to the conclusion that nature is taking over… maybe it’s okay to let weeds grow and let things get a little ruinous. But at the end of the day, people like a lawn, they like to look like a space – that’s part of being in a garden – and it’s about time we addressed that controversy.”

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs until Saturday 27th May.

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Princess of Wales speaks to schoolchildren after attending the first children’s picnic

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Ten schools from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) School Horticulture Campaign were invited.

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It was the first time in the event’s 110-year history that a children’s picnic was held.

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Kate was dressed in pink for the day

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One Show host Alex Jones loves the show

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Simon Cowell’s partner Lauren Silverman with Louis Walsh

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And with the jury of Britain’s Got Talent Bruno Tonioli

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Former Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas

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Visit of Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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Michaela Strachan im Memorial and Green Acres Transcendence Garden

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Actress Caroline Quentin with James Penney and Gavin McWilliam

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Vanessa Feltz looks very flowery

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GMB presenter Charlotte Hawkins in a strawberry motif dress

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Anthea Turner and Mark Armstrong

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Jennifer Saunders was very lucky to be there

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Dame Judi Dench with her daughter Finty Williams

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Mary Berry im Savill’s Garden designed by Mark Gregory

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Gloria Hunniford and husband Stephen Way

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Comedian Ade Edmondson and Motherland actress Anna Maxwell Martin share a laugh

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Alex Jones on opening day

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Michael Owen brought his daughter Gemma with him

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Radio 2 DJ Jo Whiley and her husband Steve Morton

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Keeley Hawes and husband Matthew Macfadyen

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Beautiful portrait of Dame Joanna Lumley amidst the flowers

(Image: PA)

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