Queen Elizabeth II's favourite Chelsea Flower Show to be held virtually, first time in history

United Kingdom's biggest flower show RHS Chelsea Flower Show is an annual event that is organised at the onset of the spring season and attended by members of the British royal family. Unfortunately, this year, the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the Royal Horticultural Society has confirmed that the show will now be held virtually.

Also known as Great Spring Show, the garden show is a century-old occurrence that is held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London. The first such flower show was held in the year 1862 at Kensington and 1912 in Chelsea. With show gardens being its highlights, the event has been a favourite of several royals particularly Queen Elizabeth II and Kate Middleton. It attracts artists, florists, gardeners, and experts from all continents of the world.

In March, the five-day event was called off due to fast-spreading pandemic disease COVID-19 that has impacted all aspects of life and forced the governments to lockdown the countries. However, RHS society has decided to go ahead with the event digitally.

As per the RHS website, the show will provide content on their website. This includes a virtual tour to private gardens of leading designer florists or gardeners and "school gardening clubs" offering gardening activities for families together and demonstrations of gardening techniques.

In the afternoon, RHS will bring in special guests for an interactive Q&A session. Meanwhile, BBC One and Two will run a special series of programmes commemorating the show. With a virtual flower festival, charity's director-general Sue Biggs hopes to inspire people.

"We're lucky to live in a digital age where we're able to bring aspects of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show online so we can continue to share the world's best in horticulture and bring garden design inspiration, breath-taking displays and horticultural knowledge for the nation to enjoy during this difficult time," Biggs said in a statement on the website.

"We really hope the virtual show will help fill the gap caused by the sad but necessary cancellation of this year's show," she added.

Since World War II, this is the first time Chelsea Flower Show was cancelled. However, it will now run virtually from May 18 to 23.