Kate's Enchanted Garden

The Duchess of Cambridge wowed London crowds with a woodland scene straight out of a children’s fairytale, but her biggest fans were her wide-eyed children, George, Charlotte and Louis, writes Juliet Rieden.

- Juliet Rieden

In a display of uncensored delight, Prince George and his little sister Princess Charlotte ran barefoot around the garden that their mother has been working on since October last year. Meanwhile, their little brother, Prince Louis, barely a year old, took his first public steps as he too was filled with wonder at this idyllic muddy, verdant, delectable playground, a styled wilderness complete with treehouse and babbling waterfall in the heart of busy London.

It’s rare for the public to see the Cambridge siblings so unscripted. Videos and photographs of their visit to Mum’s “Back to Nature Garden”, this year’s most talked-about feature at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show, ricocheted around the world in seconds. Hidden cameras were placed to capture the scene, the royal parents keen to ensure their children could explore undisturbed and enjoy this very special and personal creation. Later, royal photographer Matt Porteous was on hand to take still photographs, perfect mementoes of the big day.

When asked by his dad, Prince William, for his verdict on the garden, five-year-old Prince George gave his mother a generous 20 out of 10 for the idyllic woodland hideaway. “Mummy’s done well,” concurred William, as Charlotte, who seems to be a very independent four-year-old, theatrically shrieked, “Ooh, la, la!”