The Prince of Wales was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s highest accolade at the Chelsea Flower Show, the Victoria Medal of Honour, in 2009. It was presented to him by The Queen, Patron of the RHS, in recognition of what the RHS described as ‘his passion for plants, sustainable gardening and the environment’. Only 63 horticulturalists are entitled to hold the award at any one time, a number chosen to commemorate Queen Victoria’s years on the throne.