The Princess Royal has been honoured with a flower bearing her name during the first day of her two-day visit to Singapore. Princess Anne visited the city-state's renowned National Orchid Garden on Wednesday, where she took part in a special naming ceremony.
A Floral Tribute to Royalty
During the ceremony, the princess was presented with a striking purple orchid that has been officially named 'Dendrobium Anne' in her honour. Chief Executive Officer of the National Parks Board Singapore, Hwang Yu-Ning, presented the royal with the plant along with its official birth certificate.
"Thank you for that. That's very special, thank you very much," the princess remarked upon receiving the floral tribute. Accompanied by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Anne wore an orange jacket over a patterned blue dress for the occasion.
Remembering Queen Elizabeth II
Following the ceremony, the royal party toured the VIP garden, where hybrid orchids named after international dignitaries and heads of state are displayed. Sheltered from the rain by an umbrella, Princess Anne paused for approximately a minute to admire 'Dendrobium Elizabeth' - an orchid named after her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The princess observed that the flower, which should normally appear yellow, looked "more green" as it had not yet fully bloomed. The original Queen Elizabeth orchid was named during the late monarch's visit to Singapore in 1972, more than five decades ago.
Royal Floral Legacy
The National Orchid Garden has established a tradition of naming orchids after members of the royal family, with six such tributes having been created to date. The Prince and Princess of Wales received their own floral honours during a visit in 2012.
During that same tour thirteen years ago, William and Catherine viewed an orchid named after Diana, Princess of Wales - a tribute the late princess never saw before her tragic death in 1997.
Before departing the gardens in a Range Rover, Princess Anne received an enthusiastic reception from onlookers, with one woman excitedly calling out "Princess Anne" and waving towards the vehicle.
