DW: UK: Business is brisk — but sad — near Buckingham Palace
In September 2022, in the days following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, DW (Deutsche Welle), one of the world's leading international broadcasters, visited Buckingham Palace Road to capture the mood of a nation in mourning. Among the businesses they spoke to was Pulbrook & Gould, then operating its flagship store just steps from the Palace gates.
Flowers as a Tribute
Business was up at the store in those extraordinary days, but the atmosphere was anything but celebratory. Manager Erik Karlsen told DW that customers were buying roses, lilies, and garden flowers to lay outside the Palace as a tribute to the late Queen.
"Mainly because of the Queen's devotion to the English countryside and her love of flowers and gardens," Karlsen explained. It was a sentiment that felt entirely in keeping with who she was, and with what Pulbrook & Gould has always stood for.
A Florist with Longstanding Royal Connections
DW described Pulbrook & Gould as "a luxury florist with longstanding royal connections", a description we carry with quiet pride. Over the decades, our studio has been involved in royal weddings, state occasions, and events at the highest levels of British public life. Karlsen noted that he expected some commissions from the royal household ahead of the funeral.
Founded in 1956 by Susan, Lady Pulbrook and Rosamund Gould, our story has always been intertwined with the life of this city and the occasions that define it. The days following the Queen's passing were among the most poignant we have known.
Our Former Flagship Store on Buckingham Palace Road
Pulbrook & Gould's former flagship store on Buckingham Palace Road was at the heart of what we did, a place where Londoners came for flowers that marked the moments that matter, whether joyful or sorrowful. We were honoured to serve that community and to be part of the city's collective expression of grief and love in those quiet September days.
Visit us in store or browse our full range of luxury flower arrangements online, available for delivery across London and the UK.
Please note: Pulbrook & Gould has since relocated. Our studio is now based at 65 Gloucester Road, South Kensington, London SW7 4PE.