The Seychelles tropicbird orchid featured on the Duchess of Sussex’s wedding veil

The orchid which is the national flower can be seen in the planes of the national airline – Air Seychelles. (Seychelles Plants Gallery)

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(Seychelles News Agency) – The Seychelles tropicbird orchid, known locally as the orkid payanke, was featured on the Duchess of Sussex’s new wedding veil. The veil and wedding dress worn by Meghan Markle for her wedding to Prince Harry were designed by Clare Waight Keller from Givenchy, a French luxury fashion house.

The 15-foot silk tulle veil incorporated embroidered flowers from each of the 53 member states that make up the Commonwealth, headed by Queen Elizabeth.

The tropicbird orchid is not endemic to the island nation. Raymond Brioche from the National Botanical Gardens Foundation told SNA on Tuesday that the flower should be protected because it is the national flower of Seychelles – a group of islands in the Indian Ocean.

“It is important for people to know that the indigenous people should be given the same importance that we place on the endemics, because they have been on our islands for so many, many years, which makes them ours. The orchid, although it can be found in Madagascar, the Comoros and other Mascarene Islands, needs to be protected, ”Brioche said.

The national flower can be seen on the planes of the national airline – Air Seychelles. Brioche said that nowadays the orchid cannot be found easily. “It is rare that people have in the past collected the orchid in its natural habitat and tried to grow the same in their residences, but unfortunately these plants could not adapt and died, contributing to its rarity. “

The tropicbird orchid or Angraecum eburneum is a species of orchid. Their common name is “the comet orchid”. They usually grow up to 2 meters in height and produce 10 to 15 flowers per plant. Besides the islands of the Indian Ocean, the orchid can also be found in Kenya and Tanzania.

The tropicbird orchid is not endemic to Seychelles, it can also be seen in Kenya and Tanzania. (Seychelles Plants Gallery) Photo license: CC-BY

Meghan’s wedding to Prince Henry, Duke of Sussex, commonly known as Prince Harry, a member of the British Royal Family, was an event watched by millions around the world on Saturday.

Daniella Marie was a Seychellois who was captivated by the ceremony held at St George’s Chapel, windsor castle, UK. Marie said this marriage has gone down in Seychelles history. “In the sense that it has never been done before by a member of the royal family,” explained Marie, referring to the orkid payanke embroidered on the Duchess of York’s veil.

“Seychelles will always be in the spotlight when people – in the past – talk about the event. And for the next generation, this is something they will read and feel connected to. “

Air Seychelles cabin crew member Lionel Bick said, “As a Seychellois I am very proud. Because the Seychelles will be forever linked to the royal family. Plus, when Prince William – Prince Harry’s older brother got married, he and his new bride came to our own North Island for their honeymoon.

The veil also included two other flowers – the Wintersweet, which grows in front of Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace, and the California State flower, the California Poppy.

The Duchess of Sussex – Rachel Meghan Markle – is a former American actress, born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Prince Harry is the youngest son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and is sixth in order of succession to the British throne.

Her older brother William – Duke of Cambridge married Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge in 2011.