Pictured: King Charles’s favourite flowers line new Burberry coats
The King’s gardens at Highgrove have inspired a new collection of classic trench coats from Burberry, which swapped its classic checked lining for a colourful floral design.
The British brand teamed up with the King’s Foundation, which looks after His Majesty’s private Gloucestershire residence, to create silk scarves and coats that will go on sale for between £120 and £2,490.
The collection marks the third partnership between Burberry and Highgrove and is said to honour “the thoughtful, steadfast work” of the King. A portion of the proceeds will go to the foundation.
The drawings for the scarves and coats were created by British artist Holly Mills, a graduate of the Royal Drawing School.
She painted wildflower meadows in full summer bloom and delphiniums, the King’s favourite flower, at Highgrove before her artwork was incorporated into the garments.
Burberry, a Royal Warrant holder, is said to share the King’s Foundation’s commitment to supporting young British artists while ensuring that the legacy of craft and artistry is passed on to the next generation.
In 2001, the King, then the Prince of Wales, opened a craft training base at Highgrove, welcoming fashion and textiles students who attended courses onsite, including embroidery, run in conjunction with Chanel.
He is determined to help preserve heritage craft skills, which he fears are at risk of being lost to future generations.
The new collection is available in Burberry stores, and Highgrove’s online and onsite shops.
The oversized Castleford trenches come in two colours - Ivy with a wildflower printed silk lining, and Hunter with the delphinium lining.
The coats are woven at Burberry’s mill in Keighley and assembled at its factory in Castleford, Yorkshire.
The four organic silk scarves are made in Italy. Two depict vibrant multi-coloured wildflowers, one features purple and blue delphiniums, and the other, yellow and blue delphiniums.
A spokesman for the King’s Foundation said: “These carefully crafted pieces represent Burberry and Highgrove’s commitment to craftsmanship and responsible business practices.”
The King has often been hailed for his “timeless” sartorial style and his dedication to British elegance.
In 2020, he unveiled an 18-piece capsule collection for men and women in conjunction with the Yoox Net-a-Porter Group.
In 2022, a second collection included a dress inspired by the deep fuschia of the King’s Highgrove rose, while a yellow cashmere knit jumper replicated the colour of the benches placed around the property.
The King acquired the 18th-century Highgrove countryside estate, near Tetbury, in 1980 when it featured only a kitchen garden, an overgrown copse, some pastureland and a few hollow oaks.
A passionate gardener, he has spent more than 40 years transforming the gardens around the house.
As the Prince of Wales, he officially opened the Burberry global headquarters in Horseferry House in Westminster in 2009.
