You might have admired the flowers. But you almost certainly didn't know what they meant. Harriet Sperling walked down the aisle to marry Peter Phillips carrying one of the most quietly emotional tributes to Queen Elizabeth II we've seen since Her Majesty's passing.
The Flower That Connects Harriet to the Queen
Nestled amongst Harriet's bridal blooms were sprigs of lily-of-the-valley — the very flower Queen Elizabeth II carried at both her 1947 wedding and her coronation in 1953. It wasn't an accident. It was a choice made with love.
The couple's florist, Millie Richardson, confirmed to The Telegraph that the inclusion was deeply intentional. The significance wasn't lost on anyone who knew.
"Lily of the valley was definitely requested for its regal connotation. Myrtle is a symbol of beauty, grace and love and was requested on the same basis — it's always included in every royal wedding bouquet."
A Tradition Stretching Back to Queen Victoria
That myrtle? It was grown at Osborne House — Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's beloved Isle of Wight retreat. A sprig from that same garden has featured in every royal wedding bouquet since Princess Victoria's marriage in 1858.
Harriet's bouquet quietly wove together nearly 170 years of royal history. Something old doesn't quite cover it.
The Bridesmaids Who Wore the Queen's Flower Too
The tribute didn't stop with the bride. Harriet's three bridesmaids — her daughter Georgina, and her new stepdaughters Savannah and Isla Phillips — all wore lily-of-the-valley woven into their hairpieces.
Peter's daughters, who adored their great-grandmother, carried a piece of her memory with them all day. If that doesn't get you, nothing will.
The Personal Touch That Made It Harriet's Own
The girls' bouquets also featured 'Majolica' spray roses and pale blue nigellas — chosen because pale sky-blue is one of Harriet's favourite colours. Richardson described it simply: "She loves the pale sky-blue tone."
Something borrowed from royal history, something brilliantly, personally hers. What a way to begin a marriage.
