The Queen has marked what would have been the Duke of Edinburgh’s 100th birthday with the planting of a newly-bred rose named after her late husband.

The monarch received the gift from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and watched as it was planted in the gardens at Windsor Castle gardens last week to remember Prince Philip.

He would have celebrated his centenary on Thursday.

The Queen, wearing a blue dress and sunglasses, described the Duke of Edinburgh Rose, which is deep pink and double-flowered, as “lovely” and the tribute as “very kind”.

RHS president Keith Weed told the Queen: “It’s a rose named the Duke of Edinburgh Rose to mark his centenary and it’s a commemorative rose for all the marvellous things that he did over his lifetime and for everyone to remember so much that he did.

“Each rose, there’s a donation that goes to the Living Legacy Fund which will help more children. It’s a beautiful flower in itself, a double flower.”

The Queen said: “It looks lovely.”

Prince Philip died at Windsor Castle on 9 April. The rose was newly bred by Harkness Roses, which has been breeding and growing British roses since 1879.

The firm will donate £2.50 from each rose sold to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Living Legacy Fund, which will help one million more young people from all backgrounds and circumstances take part in the youth award scheme set up by Philip in 1956.

Since his death the fund has already raised half a million pounds.

The monarch watched as the tiny shrub bush was planted by Windsor’s head gardener Philip Carter in the front of the castle’s mixed rose border of the East Terrace Garden.

Prince Philip was heavily involved in redesigning the layout of the East Terrace Garden and also commissioned the bronze lotus fountain at the centre.

The Queen and the Duke were married for 73 years and had spent lockdown in the safety of Windsor together.

Before his death the palace had discussed plans to mark his 100th birthday but it was always going to be low key in the way he would have wanted.

Sky News royal commentator Alastair Bruce said: “The Duke of Edinburgh was never much interested in birthdays himself. Still less, being a 100.

“In fact, he didn’t ever want to live that long, and managed to die just two months short of the centenary of his birth.

“And yet, after he died, we’ve started this process of reflecting on his contribution and very much as when Queen Victoria’s husband the Prince Consort died in 1861, the nation is discovering that in fact Prince Philip did a great deal more than people realised.”

Since his death the Queen has returned to her official royal duties and on Sunday she will host US president Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at Windsor Castle.

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