Queen plants new Duke of Edinburgh rose to mark his 100th birthday
Prince Philip would have turned 100 on the 10th June
Last updated 24th May 2022
Her Majesty the Queen has marked what would have been her husband's 100th birthday by planting a newly created rose named after him.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) gave the Duke of Edinburgh rose to The Queen last week and she oversaw it being placed in the Windsor Castle gardens to commemorate Prince Philip’s centenary on Thursday.
The Queen described the Duke of Edinburgh Rose, which is deep pink, dappled with white lines and double-flowered, as “lovely” and the tribute as “very kind”.
She was wearing sunglasses in the June sunshine and dressed in a summery blue dress with a white floral pattern, white cardigan and a string of pearls, and was holding a patterned silk scarf.
The Queen smiled as she accepted the small rose bush, wrapped in brown paper and twine, from RHS president Keith Weed.
A year ago, the monarch and Philip were photographed together in the castle’s quadrangle to mark the duke’s 99th birthday, but he died just nine weeks before he was due to turn 100.
Mr Weed told the Queen: “It’s a rose named the Duke of Edinburgh Rose to mark his centenary and it’s a commemorative rose for all the marvellous things that he did over his lifetime and for everyone to remember so much that he did.
“Each rose, there’s a donation that goes to the Living Legacy Fund which will help more children. It’s a beautiful flower in itself, a double flower.”
The Queen said: “It looks lovely.”
Looking back at the marriage of the Queen and Prince Philip
The Royal Wedding
The newly married Princess Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day. They married on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey, having announced their engagement in July 1946.
The Coronation
Waving from Buckingham Palace, this time as the newly coronated Queen and Consort of the Monarch. The Queen's coronation took place on 2 June 1953, following the death of her father, King George VI the previous year.
Silver Wedding Anniversary
Their Royal Highnesses celebrating their Silver Wedding Anniversary at Balmoral in Scotland in 1972.
The new millenium
Prince Philip kisses the Queen as they celebrate entering a new millennium. In the year 2000, they celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary.
Duke of Edinburgh receives honour from Queen
In 2013, the Queen presented her husband, Prince Philip, with the Order of New Zealand, the country's highest honour. This was awarded alongside the Queen's birthday honours list in 2012, on the advice of the New Zealand Government.
Sharing a smile
The couple have been frequently caught sharing a smile or a laugh when carrying out visits and Royal duties. Their daughter-in-law, the Countess of Wessex once noted that the success of the pair's relationship was founded in laughter and support. She said: "they make each other laugh, which is half the battle, isn't it?"
Prince Philip's funeral
After 73 years of marriage, Prince Philip passed away aged 99. The Queen had to sit on her own for the funeral due to social distancing rules in place at the time. The Queen described the death of the Duke of Edinburgh as leaving "a huge void" in her life.
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