The Royal Bridal Bouquet: From Wedding Accessory to Royal Remembrance

This article presents the first detailed exploration and discussion of the history of the royal bridal bouquet in Britain. First introduced in Victorian days, it was in the early 1920s, and then again from 1947 onwards, that the royal bridal bouquet was imbued with an additional significance far beyond its original meaning and which it retains until the present day: after the wedding, it is laid on the grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, in commemoration of all the war dead. This article explores the origins of this royal tradition, discussing its meaning and further implications. In this context, the article briefly looks also at the overall link between the military and royal weddings in Britain – exploring in particular the issue of bridegrooms marrying in uniform; the royal bridal bouquet as a female, floral tribute adds another important component to this military link. The article thus contributes a significant detail to the wide literature on war commemoration and also the monarchy in the twentieth century. It emerges that the royal bridal bouquet in Britain is a significant detail that takes the occasions of royal weddings beyond their original meaning by adding the aspect of royal remembrance. While this is not prominently seen in any other monarchy, it testifies to British royalty’s wide-ranging instinct for and application of ceremonial events and gestures as a means of enhancing the monarchy’s appeal and its bond with the people.