Queen Camilla's Coronation Outfit Honored Daughter Laura Lopes' Wedding Anniversary

When King Charles III officially became the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom on May 8, 2023, Camilla was also crowned by his side. Naturally, her headpiece—Queen Mary’s Crown—was the focal point of her ensemble, but her look featured another special detail worth noting: a tribute to her daughter, Laura Lopes. On the same day that Charles became head of England, Laura celebrated her 17th wedding anniversary to Harry Lopes, whom she married on May 6, 2006. To honor the milestone in her daughter’s life, Camilla wore the Robe of Estate, which was embroidered with lily of the valley, the same flower that Laura carried in her bouquet on her wedding day. Not only did this type of flower make an appearance at her daughter’s nuptials, but it also appeared in Camilla’s bouquet when she married Charles in 2005.

Buckingham Palace noted that the crimson velvet vestment had several types of flowers featured in the embroidery, such as myrtle and delphinium. According to People, Camilla’s outfit also honored Queen Elizabeth. She wore Elizabeth’s Robe of State, and the embroidery contained many of the former monarch’s favorite flowers, according to PureWow. The robe was commissioned for Elizabeth to wear at her own coronation in 1953, People reports. Since then, it has been conserved, and tailor Ede and Ravenscroft have adjusted it. 

When Camilla’s daughter married her aristocrat fiancé nearly two decades ago at St. Cyriac’s Church in Wiltshire, England, her lily of the valley bouquet perfectly coordinated with her elegant wedding dress. For her vow exchange, Laura wore a long-sleeved ivory layered silk chiffon gown by Anna Valentine, Hello! reported at the time. Laura tapped the same wedding dress designer as Camila for her wedding to Charles. She topped off her look with a diamond tiara that belonged to Camilla’s family and diamond earrings. Their nuptials was a regal affair, with other royal family members, such as Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton, in attendance.

Laura is Camilla’s second child from her first marriage with Andrew Parker-Bowles. She and her brother, Tom Parker-Bowles, grew up in Wiltshire, England. For school, Laura attended St. Mary’s Shaftesbury, a Catholic boarding School for girls, and Heywood Preparatory School, according to Hello! Then, she studied art history at Oxford Brookes University and went on to manage the Space Gallery in London and become the co-founder of Eleven, a fine art gallery in Belgravia, the outlet reports. Since tying the knot, Laura and Harry share three children: Eliza, Gus, and Louis. 

When Camilla said “I do” to Charles a year before her daughter, she also carried lily of the valley in her bouquet. The bride’s posy included yellow, purple, and white primroses with a sprig of myrtle in addition. According to The Telegraph, the arrangement of flowers was a gift from a well-wisher in Cornwall. Lily of the valley has likewise been a popular choice for other royal brides. For instance, Grace Kelly carried an arrangement of the bloom when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956. Then, Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, and Meghan Markle featured the flower in their wedding bouquets, plus other varieties.