The Queen says Prince Harry should be 'proud' of his Chelsea Flower Show garden

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Her Majesty the Queen was 'hugely complimentary' according to spectators
The Prince, who flew back from New Zealand at the weekend, has a show-garden for the third year in a row
It is a long-held tradition that a member of the Royal family attends the first day of the show
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show will open officially tomorrow and run until May 23rd

By Rebecca English Royal Correspondent For The Daily Mail

Published: 14:49 EST, 18 May 2015 | Updated: 17:01 EST, 18 May 2015

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The Queen gave her grandson a royal - and very personal - seal of approval as she visited his charity garden at the Chelsea Flower Show today.

Aides said Prince Harry had been 'extremely nervous' as he waited anxiously to show his grandmother around the stunning Sentebale exhibit, designed to mimic the wild landscape of Lesotho, the landlocked African kingdom in which it works with vulnerable, HIV positive children.

But the prince's design, on which he collaborated with creator Matthew Keightley, was said to have won the sovereign over.

'She told Harry that he should be very proud,' said one close to the visit.

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The Queen (left) gave her grandson Prince Harry (right) a royal - and very personal - seal of approval as she visited his charity garden at the Chelsea Flower Show today

The Queen was kissed warmly on the cheeks by the prince, who towered over his grandmother, resplendent in a blue Karl Ludwig coat, when she arrived.

He then gently guided her around the garden, which featured a life-sized Mamohato hut and a moving series of footprints made from casts taken from some of the children that Sentebale has helped.

They were soon joined by Harry's father, Prince Charles, and step-mother the Duchess of Cornwall, and later by Prince Philip, his grandfather.

The charity's chairman, Philip Green, who accompanied the group, said afterwards: 'Prince Harry was beyond nervous at what his grandmother's reaction would be but she was delighted.

'The Queen was hugely complimentary about the planting and very knowledgeable about the charity and what it is trying to achieve.

'I discussed with her a new centre we have built out there, the Mamohato Children's Centre, but she already knew about it.'

The Queen visits Prince Harry at the Chelsea Flower Show

The charity's chairman, Philip Green, who accompanied the group, said afterwards, 'There is a genuine closeness between Prince Harry and all his family'

Aides said Prince Harry had been 'extremely nervous' as he waited anxiously to show his grandmother around the stunning Hope in Vulnerability (HIV) garden

Mr Green said the royal family 'made clear how pleased they were for him and how proud'

It was designed to mimic the wild landscape of Lesotho, the landlocked African kingdom in which it works with vulnerable, HIV positive children

The prince's design, on which he collaborated with creator Matthew Keightley, was said to have won the sovereign over

The garden was Prince Harry's idea as he was keen to get a positive interpretation on the HIV disease

'[The Queen] told Harry that he should be very proud,' said one close to the visit

He added: 'Actually, I would say that Harry was even more nervous about his father's reaction. The Prince of Wales is obviously a very keen and talented gardener himself.

'Prince Harry was genuinely thrilled - and not a little relieved - at his reaction.

'There is a genuine closeness between Prince Harry and all his family. And they made clear how pleased they were for him and how proud.'

The garden is called Hope In Vulnerability - HIV - which was Prince Harry's idea as he was keen to get a positive interpretation on the disease.

The Prince, only just back from his tour of New Zealand, said he hoped to spend more time in the garden.

He said: 'It’s fantastic. It’s everything I could have wished. If my garden was big enough I’d move it into my garden.

'There are certain parts of this that are exactly like Africa and the rest takes you on this journey in of what it could be like. This is our way of trying to bring a little bit of Lesotho to Chelsea.'

Prince Harry talks tress at the Royal Chelsea Flower Show

Harry towered over his grandmother, resplendent in a blue Karl Ludwig coat, when she arrived

Her Majesty clutched a bouquet as she made her way around the exhibit

The Queen, pictured with Prince Harry in the background, was said to really like the 'colour and vibrancy' of the space

They were soon joined by Harry's father, Prince Charles (center right), and step-mother the Duchess of Cornwall (center left)

Charles (second from left), Camilla (center) and the Queen (right) are shown around

Charles and Camilla exchange opinions as they toured the perfectly preened gardens

Matt Keightley, the designer of the garden, said after the royal visit: 'They genuinely seemed interested and fascinated in the details.

'Prince Harry has been intrigued by the correlation between the Chelsea garden and the children’s centre so he was explaining to them which details would be taken out to the children’s centre.

'He loves the idea of the two chairs [on display in the garden] being taken out there.

'Before they arrived the Prince was talking about the one Lesothan poppy that is flowering in the garden and joking about whether we should have offered it as a buttonhole.

'The Royal family members were interested in knowing how many of the plants are native to Lesotho, which is about 20 per cent, the children’s footprints in the stonework and the Queen really liked the colour and vibrancy of the space.

'The Price of Wales really liked the hurdle fence, which is made of peeled sweet chestnut.'

Mr Keightley said both he and Prince Harry had been worried that they would be marked down by the Chelsea judges because it was raining when they looked at the garden, and because a BBC crew who had been filming in the garden shortly before the judges arrived had left footprints.

He said: 'I spent about an hour and a half scrubbing the paving stones and then looked up and saw a horde of people tramping through and I shouted “No!” but then realised it was the judges. I think they thought it was funny though.'

The Queen received a bouquet from George Hassell, nine from Buckton Vale Primary School in Greater Manchester, the RHS's young school gardener of the year

The Queen, as Patron of the Royal Horticultural Society, regularly attends the opening of the show, and this year her son Prince Edward, Duke Of Wessex (right) also paid a visit

Camilla (left) wore a patterned silk scarf and a butterfly brooch, and at one point had a minor hair malfunction

Also present were Sophie, Countess Of Wessex (left) and Princess Anne (right)

The Chelsea Flower Show has become a regular fixture in the Royal calendar since it was first held in 1913. Pictured, Charles admires the greenery

The Prince of Wales, pictured with Camilla, is a very keen and talented gardener himself

Harry said of his garden, 'There are certain parts of this that are exactly like Africa and the rest takes you on this journey in of what it could be like'

He added, 'This is our way of trying to bring a little bit of Lesotho to Chelsea'

The prince takes a pew in one of the garden's wooden chairs and looks to approve of its back-supporting credentials

He has just returned from his tour of Australia and New Zealand and looked happy to be in familiar territory. Pictured (right) Harry examines a cushion, which uses traditional Lesotho design in its pattern

The Chelsea Flower Show has become a regular fixture in the Royal calendar since it was first held in 1913.

The Queen, as Patron of the Royal Horticultural Society, regularly attends the opening of the show.

One of the most outstanding displays in the shows history was the Coronation Empire Exhibition in 1937.

Created to celebrate the Coronation of King George VI, exhibits included plants representing different parts of the Commonwealth.

This evening the Queen enjoyed a whirlwind tour of of just handful of the many exhibits, starting with the Chatwsworth Garden, taking in a robotic display - and peering with fascination at a large flower filled 'Jammy Dodger' biscuit on an Alice In Wonderland tea party-themed stand.

She also received a bouquet from George Hassell, nine from Buckton Vale Primary School in Greater Manchester, the RHS's young school gardener of the year.

He has made the posey himself with the help of florist Simon Lycett.