The Royal Maundy Service will be attended by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, where The King expresses his gratitude for those who serve and volunteer in their communities. His Majesty will present 152 recipients, 76 men and 76 women (representing the age of the Monarch), with specially-minted Maundy Money, thanking them for their outstanding Christian service. The recipients have been nominated and invited from the Diocese of Durham and other dioceses across the Province of York, Wales and Scotland.
To celebrate the occasion, Deborah has sought advice from renowned florist, Shane Connolly, the designer behind the flowers for The King & Queen’s Coronation in 2023, the wedding of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort in 2005 and the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales in 2011.
Deborah uses sustainable floristry practices, including foam-free floral mechanics and British Flowers that The King and Queen support and have incorporated.
With the floral designs finalised, the Cathedral Flower Arranging Volunteers are practising creating the Urn and Bowl displays in the weeks leading up to the service.
Olive Simpson, a Cathedral Flower Arranger Volunteer for 41 years, says,
Quote from Olive Simpson, right
It’s a privilege to be involved in creating flower arrangements for the Royal Maundy service, however it’s not the first display I have made for royalty, as I made the bouquet for the HRH Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother’s visit in June 1987 which were placed on the book signing table.”
Olive Simpson, right
Chris Darke, who has been a flower arranger since she was 17, has a diploma in interior design and floristry and was originally self-taught in making floral baskets as a teen. Commenting on the upcoming service, she says,
Quote from Chris Darke
It makes someone’s day when you give them a bouquet of flowers, so it’s fabulous to be involved in the Royal Maundy service, and a lovely once-in-a-lifetime experience to have”.
Chris Darke
Deborah Simpson Boston has been leading the team of flower arrangers at Durham Cathedral, teaching them sustainable practises and creating arrangements suitable for royalty. With her work towards sustainability, Deb has been recognised as the Ambassador for the North East for Sustainable Church Flowers.
As part of a sustainability initiative, the cathedral has moved from using floral foam, a single use plastic that is non-biodegradable, to a more sustainable and reusable options to create floral displays. The flower arrangements in the cathedral feature flowers that are grown in the UK and as local as possible, rather than imported from Holland and Europe and even as far as Ecuador, and choosing flowers that are in season.
Flowers for the Royal Service have been grown at Deborah’s farm, and smaller growers in County Durham, Northumberland and North Yorkshire.
