Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have donated flowers from their Royal Wedding on Saturday to a hospice that cares for patients from Newham and Tower Hamlets.
The flowers, designed by Philippa Craddock, were made into beautiful hand tied bouquets and delivered to St Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney yesterday.
The surprise gift from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex brought back memories for 89-year-old patient Pauline Clayton who was just 19 when she helped embroider the 15-foot Boticelli-inspired train of Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding dress.
She said: “We were on rationing then, so we weren’t allowed to sew on any embellishments, so the train was embroidered. There were four of us girls working on it and we earned 49 and a half hours overtime doing that.
“I really liked working for the Queen Mother and I helped to make many of her dresses during my 20-year career with Norman Hartnell.
“With my royal connections it’s such a lovely coincidence to be at St Joseph’s and receive these wedding flowers. They are beautiful and very special.”
Fore more information about the hospice visit stjh.org.uk.
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