Former Palace Aide Reveals What Queen Elizabeth Worked Closely With Meghan to Pick Out and Carry on Her Wedding Day
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married during a lavish ceremony on May 19, 2018, in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. It was a star-studded affair as several A-Listers including Sir Elton John, George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Priyanka Chopra, Idris Elba, and David and Victoria Beckham were all on hand to watch the prince and former Suits star say “I do.”
There’s been so much talk about that day and how some things the duke and duchess wanted weren’t on par with what Queen Elizabeth II had set in stone like when Meghan was under the impression that she could select any tiara she wanted instead of taking whichever one the queen planned to loan her. There have also been reports that the late monarch didn’t realize Meghan was going to wear a veil and have an all-white dress since this wasn’t her first marriage.
But according to a former royal staffer, the queen and Meghan were definitely on the same page about one thing as Her Majesty worked with the duchess so they could coordinate it together.
What Queen Elizabeth helped Meghan pick out for her wedding
Jack Stooks was the monarch’s senior gardener at the royal’s Highgrove estate for 21 years and attended the wedding, having won a staff ballot to watch the ceremony from within the grounds of Windsor Castle. He spoke about the bouquet Meghan carried and believes the queen was instrumental in that choice.
Speaking on behalf of Fruity King, Stooks told Showbiz Cheat Sheet: “Meghan’s bouquet included lily of the valley, which is traditional for royal brides. It’s beautifully scented and was perfect for that time of year. The tradition dates back to Queen Victoria’s time, and a lot of the younger women still include it in their bouquets — including Meghan, Kate and Eugenie.
“Members of the royal family grow up with tradition all their lives. They have the same regalia, the same events. Everything is very historic for them, so I think keeping tradition is just bred into them. Being able to have a flower with them that they know has been carried by so many royal women before them must mean a lot. It really is quite something to know they’ve all had the same specific thing dating back to Queen Victoria’s time. Very few people are able to do that.”
Stooks added: “I know the queen had a lot to do with Meghan and Harry’s wedding flowers. She was using her florist for the evening event, which she hosted for the couple. She would have worked closely with Meghan and Harry, and they would have been involved in picking the colours while also ensuring they fit with the design of Meghan’s dress.”
Tradition or not, the arrangement can be harmful to humans
The flowers the bride carried were also used as crowns on the little girls in Meghan’s bridal party, and an expert has revealed that they can actually be harmful to children.
According to the Express, those crowns made of “spray flowers, lily of the valley, lisianthus, and cuscus” can pose a threat to kids because lily of the valley is “highly poisonous.”
“These woodland flowers are native to Eurasia but have become very popular landscape plants in North America and many other regions. However, behind their cute exterior and pleasant scent lies a potential villain,” said Certified Urban Agriculturist Bonnie L. Grant.
She added that “lily of the valley toxicity makes it unsafe to have around children and pets. The plant is so dangerous that ingestion could result in a trip to the emergency room, or in rare cases death.”
The Agriculturist also noted that “All parts of the plant are considered potentially toxic” as it “contains over 30 cardiac glycosides, many of which inhibit the heart’s pumping activity,” and can be considered safe in a home with no children or pets.
