Queen Camilla quietly donates generous gift to deserving cause

Queen Camilla quietly donated a generous gift to a charity as she begins making changes as the new Queen consort.

• The Queen consort and other senior royals hosted President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa at Buckingham Palace.
• In celebration of this state visit, senior royals attended a State Banquet in celebration of the President's arrival.
• In other royal news, The real reason Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may shun King Charles and Camilla's coronation.

On Tuesday, November 22, 2022, members of the Royal Family attended an elaborate state banquet in celebration of the President of South Africa. The event included an elaborate dinner which was placed on beautiful tables lined with hundreds of flowers. 

In a gesture that is both heartfelt and sustainable, it has been revealed that the Queen consort actually donated the flowers at the State Banquet following the event. 

It was revealed that Camilla donated the floral displays to Floral Angels, a small charity that has existed since 2013 that recycles and reuses flowers leftover after events, weddings, and retailers. The charity operates solely on the work of volunteers who donate bouquets and arrangements to those who need them most. This includes people in shelters, women's refuges, hospices, and care homes.

"We are so grateful for Her Majesty’s continued support," the charity’s co-founder Frances Hunter told the Daily Mail (opens in new tab). "We know how much life has changed for her but she has been such a great source of help and encouragement."

"How wonderful to think that the flowers from Buckingham Palace are now going to make such a difference to people’s lives. It’s such a simple thing but means a lot to those who receive them," added Frances.

The charity founder added that these flowers are particularly appreciated by some people who have never received flowers before. "Some of the women we see at the refuges and shelters say they have never been given so much as a flower in their lives. It really brightens up a very dark and difficult time for them,' she added.

Sustainability has been close to King Charles' heart for many decades and as a Prince, he was considered quite forward-thinking and out there because of his views about climate change and the importance of preserving the planet for future generations. Therefore, it perhaps isn't that surprising that as Charles' wife and Queen consort, supporting charities that focus on recycling and being sustainable is something that Camilla is focused on. 

For many years, Camilla has also been the patron of charities that support women, in particular women who have been affected by domestic violence or need additional support to find safety. Therefore her decision to support charities that make an effort to improve the lives of women in shelters or refuges, is also unsurprising as clearly, this is a cause that's close to her heart.