The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton, presented Queen Jetsun of Bhutan with a very thoughtful gift during their tour last week. William and Kate spent two days in the Himalayan kingdom, with one evening dedicated to a private dinner with the king and queen.
It has now been revealed that during the audience in Thimphu, William and Kate showed their gratitude to the royals by giving the 25-year-old queen a framed picture of a rose.
The red flower is aptly named the 'Queen of Bhutan Rose' and was developed as a special gesture for the king and queen, who founded the annual Royal Bhutan Flower Show last year and have created an English garden.
The red flower is aptly named the 'Queen of Bhutan Rose'
The rose variety has been grown in the UK and 75 dormant plants have been shipped to Bhutan to be cultivated, a statement from the Foreign Office revealed.
"I am delighted that Their Royal Highnesses have been able to present this rose to the king and queen of Bhutan as a symbolic gesture of the growing friendship between our two countries," Minister for Asia, Hugo Swire, said.
Kate pictured with 25-year-old Queen Jetsun last week
Last week the Cambridges met King Jigme and Queen Jetsun – who are dubbed the "William and Kate of the Himalayas" – for the first time. The British royals were given a warm ceremonial welcome at the airport, followed by a day of fun engagements including watching an archery game, Bhutan's national sport.
On their first night in Bhutan, William and Kate were invited to a private dinner with the reigning couple. The Duchess kept it casual in a floaty maxidress from Tory Burch, an American designer. The gown was a classic column shape and embroidered with jewel-toned flowers and beading.
The Duchess wore a poppy-printed dress in honour of Bhutan's national flower
The following evening, Kate paid tribute to her host country by wearing an elegant silk chiffon gown from Beulah. While the dress was beautiful and a great choice for the stunning Duchess, careful thought had also gone into the outfit – the poppy print was a nod to Bhutan, as it is their national flower.