Tradition for royal wedding bouquet

It has been tradition for a sprig of myrtle, which is said to bring luck and fidelity, to be carried in the royal bride's bouquet since 1858.

Tradition dictates that a royal bride's bouquet contains a sprig of myrtle.

The custom dates back to Queen Victoria's time when the monarch's daughter, Princess Victoria, carried it among her bridal flowers in 1858.

The Duchess of Cambridge, the Queen, and Harry's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, all had myrtle in their wedding bouquets - so it is expected that Meghan Markle will do the same.

The myrtle for royal bridal bouquets comes from the bush grown from the myrtle originally given to Queen Victoria.

It was presented to Victoria in a posy by Prince Albert's grandmother, and the couple brought it back from Germany and planted it at Osborne House, their holiday home on the Isle of Wight, where it has thrived.

The glossy, evergreen shrub is said to bring luck and fidelity.

In another tradition, royal brides poignantly send their bouquet back to Westminster Abbey to be placed on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.

Kate followed the custom in 2011, as did the Queen, who was Princess Elizabeth when she wed in 1947, and Diana in 1981.

The resting place at the London Abbey holds the remains of a World War I soldier who has come to symbolise the nation's war dead.

The late Queen Mother began the long-standing tradition when her posy was left at the grave in 1923 after her wedding to the Duke of York, later George VI.

She left the flowers in memory of her brother Fergus, killed in 1915 during the global conflict.

Convention dictates that the day following royal weddings the floral tribute is sent to the Abbey after the official wedding pictures of the bride and groom have been taken.


Share
Published 14 May 2018 10:38am
Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world