Queen presented with rose to mark what would have been Prince Philip's 100th birthday

10 June 2021, 08:48 | Updated: 10 June 2021, 08:53

Queen watches as special rose named after Prince Philip is planted to mark his 100th birthday

The Queen has poignantly marked what would have been the Duke of Edinburgh's 100th birthday with the planting of a newly-bred rose.

The monarch received the gift from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and watched it placed in the Windsor Castle gardens last week to commemorate 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".

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.

Queen marks Philip’s 100th birthday by planting rose named after him

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."

The Duke of Edinburgh Rose was newly bred following Philip's death on April 9 by Harkness Roses, which has been breeding and growing British roses since 1879.

For every rose sold, the firm will donate £2.50 to The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Living Legacy Fund, which will help one million more young people from all backgrounds and circumstances take part in the youth award scheme set up by Philip in 1956.

Mr Weed added of the rose: "Right now, with a cold spring and nature being a little bit behind, it doesn't look so lovely there but that's what it looks like. The picture says it all."

The Queen replied: "Well that's very kind."

Looking at the label, the Queen also saw it features a small profile photograph of a smiling Philip wearing a white panama hat.

The monarch watched as the tiny shrub bush - which will grow to around 70cm tall - was rehomed by Windsor's head gardener Philip Carter in the front of the castle's mixed rose border of the East Terrace Garden, amid more mature specimens and purple alliums, as a permanent reminder of the duke.