Orchid Named After Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Royal Couple visit the National Orchid Garden as the first stop during their inaugural Singapore visit

 Singapore, 11 September 2012 - His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge visited the National Orchid Garden today. To mark this special occasion Mr Poon Hong Yuen, Chief Executive Officer of the National Parks Board, presented the Royal Couple with an orchid named after them - Vanda William Catherine. The Garden was the first stop in the royal couple's Asia Pacific tour to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee this year.

Vanda William Catherine (Vanda First and Last x Vanda Motes Toledo Blue) is a stunning free-flowering orchid hybrid. Each flowering spray can grow to 25 to 35 centimetres in length and bear up to 10 blooms. Each individual flower is approximately 7 to 8 centimetres across and features attractive white petals and sepals with purple red spots, complemented with an outstanding dark purple lip.

During the visit, the Royal Couple also viewed two orchids of significance to the family - Dendrobium Queen Elizabeth II and Dendrobium Memoria Princess Diana. Dendrobium Queen Elizabeth II was named after Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom during her visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens in 1972. Dendrobium Memoria Princess Diana was named in 1997 in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.

"The Singapore Botanic Gardens is very honoured to host the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for this visit. Singapore has a longstanding tradition of naming orchids after important guests. It is especially significant that we are able to name an orchid after Their Royal Highnesses, having named orchids after Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as well as the late Princess of Wales," said Mr Poon.

Orchid naming is Singapore's special way of welcoming important guests. The NationalOrchidGarden at the Singapore Botanic Gardens houses VIP orchids named after state dignitaries such as Paravanda Nelson Mandela and Dendrobium Margaret Thatcher, as well as celebrity orchids such as Dendrobium Jackie Chan.