Shane Connolly, the royal wedding florist
Londoner of the Day: Royal wedding florist Shane Connolly
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
5:09 PM
Bride Kate Middleton is likely to be the most nervous person at the royal wedding but florist Shane Connolly is likely to have some butterflies too.
Wendy Davis, members of National Association of Flower Arranging Societies, smells the lilac flowers at Westminster Abbey in London, during preparations for the upcoming royal wedding between Kate Middleton and Prince WilliamHe has been appointed artist director of flowers for the wedding, a role that comes with huge expectations with the eyes of the world on his arrangements for the big day.
The 47-year-old flower designer said he will be treating the occasion “like any other wedding” and felt lucky to be involved after being asked by Prince William’s office in December last year.
Mr Connolly insisted fulfilling the expectations of his royal clients was his number one priority. “The pressure from the world isn’t important, it’s what they think that’s important,” he said.
He runs Shane Connolly Flowers with business partner Jamie Marlar in west London and holds a Royal Warrant awarded by the Prince of Wales, which marks him as the official supplier of flowers for royal events.
Not unfamiliar to the pressure of grand events, he was commissioned to arrange the flowers for the marriage of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in 2005.
Originally from Belfast, Mr Connolly read psychology at university before moving to London in 1986.
He then worked in research psychology for a year before deciding to pursue his passion for plants and gardens.
Mr Connolly joined London-based florist Pulbrook and Gould, where he stayed for two years before starting up his own business in 1989.
London24’s Londoner of the Day feature aims to find people in the capital who have done something special or made the news and created a talking point for the day. It can be someone famous or an unsung hero such as a charity stalwart.
If you’d like to nominate someone for a future Londoner of the Day mention you can email London24 editor Simon Bull at simon.bull@archant.co.uk
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1 comments
I live in the London Borough of Harrow, which is not in your list. We may not have London-type post codes here, but we do have all the other advantages and penalties of living in an area that is considered to be part of London - why does your list not contain all London boroughs?
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mazza
Sunday, May 1, 2011