King Charles was photographed warmly embracing his sister in law Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh as the two visited the Royal Windsor Flower Show on Saturday.

The annual event, which is which is billed as ‘a joyful one-day celebration of gardening, nature, food and traditional crafts’ was inspired by an idea from his book.

And the monarch – a keen gardener – certainly seemed to be enjoying his day out, as he was snapped stopping to smell the flowers during his visit to the show. 

Gardener Alan Titchmarsh, who is the honorary president of the Royal Windsor Rose & Horticultural Society, helped to welcome the royal party including the Duchess of Edinburgh who officially opened the event.

The theme for this year’s show, held at the York Club in Windsor Great Park, is Patterns in Nature’ inspired by Charles’s 2010 book called Harmony: A New Way Of Looking At Our World.

The King’s Foundation explains Charles’s philosophy of harmony is aimed at understanding ‘the balance, order and relationships between ourselves and the natural world’ to ‘create a more sustainable future’.

It adds: ‘The Harmony philosophy sees everything in nature as interconnected, including ourselves.

‘This means taking a holistic approach to the challenges facing our planet, and looking to solve these challenges by working with nature, rather than against her.’ 

King Charles (pictured, centre) appeared to be enjoying his day out at the Royal Windsor Flower Show on Saturday (seen with Alan Titchmarsh)

The King looked dapper in a grey piece suit, while Sophie looked stylish in a blue maxi dress, with an appropriate floral print.

Apart from looking at the displays Charles smiled and shook hands with members of the public and Sophie chatted with Chelsea pensioners.

There were also expert talks, demonstrations and hands-on workshops on offer for those who attended.

Saturday was the 118th edition of the show, which has Charles as its patron.

Sophie’s appearance today came after a recent rare double outing with Prince William on Friday.

The two went to Wadebridge,  Cornwall for a rare joint engagement as patrons of the Royal Agricultural Association that organises the show. 

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh is pictured attending the Royal Windsor Flower Show at Windsor Great Park

The King was pictured embracing his sister in law as the two both attended the Royal Windsor Flower Show on Saturday

William and Sophie appeared comfortable and relaxed in each other’s presence, as the royals shared a good-natured laugh after they arrived at the agricultural show. 

The pair opted for smart casual ensembles, with the Duke of Cornwall picking a grey sport coat with a light blue shirt for his visit. 

He completed the look with a navy tie and matching accessories. 

Still sporting the beard that left royal fans swooning, William greeted well-wishers who had gathered outside the venue in Wadebridge in Cornwall. 

Meanwhile, Sophie was beaming as she waved at crowds, wearing a greige checked blazer.

She paired it with a tan, calf-length skirt and a light pink shirt. 

Sophie (pictured, right) was photographed while walking around the event with Alan Titchmarsh (pictured, left). He is the honorary president of the Royal Windsor Rose & Horticultural Society,

She finished her outfit with burgundy boots and a forest green bag with tan accents, and accessorised with a diamond pendant necklace and timeless gold hoops. 

Sophie’s makeup was fresh and dewy, as the mother-of-two wore a light layer of foundation, the faintest hint of blush, and a soft pink lipstick for the occasion. 

Upon their arrival, their Royal Highnesses were shown around the Royal Cornwall Food and Farming Pavillion as they inspected dozens of stalls stocked with artisanal food and drink from producers across the region.   

At the gin stand, William joked he could ‘see what today’s going to be like’ before he and Sophie were shown a number of varieties before being given one to try. 

After a bit more talking, he caught the Duchess going for another sip and he joked to her: ‘You’re not allowed to finish it. You’ve got to watch her.’