Queen marks Duke of Edinburgh’s 100th birthday with poignant tribute

Queen Elizabeth II views a border in the gardens of Windsor Castle, where she received a Duke of Edinburgh rose, given to her by the Royal Horticultural Society (Photo by Steve Parsons - WPA Pool/Getty Images)Queen Elizabeth II views a border in the gardens of Windsor Castle, where she received a Duke of Edinburgh rose, given to her by the Royal Horticultural Society (Photo by Steve Parsons - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II views a border in the gardens of Windsor Castle, where she received a Duke of Edinburgh rose, given to her by the Royal Horticultural Society (Photo by Steve Parsons - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The Queen has marked what would have been the Duke of Edinburgh’s 100th birthday with the planting of a newly-bred rose named after her beloved late husband.

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.

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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 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.

‘A commemorative rose for all the marvellous things that he did’

Queen Elizabeth II receives a Duke of Edinburgh rose (Photo by Steve Parsons - WPA Pool/Getty Images)Queen Elizabeth II receives a Duke of Edinburgh rose (Photo by Steve Parsons - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II receives a Duke of Edinburgh rose (Photo by Steve Parsons - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

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.

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“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

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.

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