The Unassuming City Florist with a Royal Pedigree
Nestled inconspicuously on Goswell Road, just north of the Square Mile, Longmans Florist might easily escape notice. Tucked beneath the concrete overhang of Golden Lane Estate—a brutalist precursor to the Barbican—the shop's exterior, cluttered with plastic crates and fruit racks, gives little hint of its illustrious past. Yet, squeezed between a dry cleaner and a budget barber, this unassuming establishment once created the wedding bouquets for both Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth.
A Legacy Rooted in 1896
Established in 1896, Longmans is not merely the oldest florist in the City of London; it ranks among the most historic in the entire United Kingdom. Its origins trace back to Hulbert Longman, who opened a barber shop in the city in 1888. Initially offering haircuts and shaves, Hulbert began selling buttonholes and nosegays, sparking a passion for flowers that birthed the Longman floral dynasty.
The current concrete-shaded shop is not the original. Longmans has led a peripatetic existence within the Square Mile, moving from its first premises on Mark Lane to locations including Ludgate Hill, Fenchurch Street, Lime Street, and Smithfields. Mary Burke, a florist with over four decades at Longmans, admits she cannot recall all the addresses.
The Rise to Royal Florist
Passed to Hulbert's son, Martin Hulbert Longman—a founding member of Interflora—the shop forged a relationship with the Worshipful Company of Gardeners, gaining access to royal clients. After being elected Master Gardener in 1974, Martin designed and crafted the wedding bouquet for Princess Elizabeth's 1947 marriage to Prince Philip, later creating her coronation bouquet as well. He submitted multiple design proposals to Buckingham Palace, with the Princess selecting an all-white bouquet featuring British-grown orchids and myrtle, which he personally delivered on the wedding morning.
Interestingly, the original bouquet went missing between the ceremony and breakfast, necessitating a hastily made replica for official portraits. This incident led Longmans to establish a tradition of creating two identical bridal bouquets for royal weddings to ensure a backup.
Princess Diana's Iconic Bouquet
David Longman continued the tradition, crafting the bridal bouquet for Princess Diana in 1981. Embracing 1980s maximalism, the People's Princess chose a large cascading arrangement over three feet long, weighing several pounds, composed of gardenias, odontoglossum orchids, lily of the valley, stephanotis, freesias, and other blooms. Mary Burke recalls that Sarah Ferguson, whose wedding followed in 1986, requested a distinct design—a smaller spray bouquet shaped as her initial 'S'.
Mary remembers silk replicas of all royal bouquets, used for design proposals, which staff would playfully hold to imagine walking down the aisle.
The Legacy Today
As part of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners, Longmans gifted rather than sold bouquets to royals, meaning they never held a royal warrant. Current owner Bella Patel, who purchased the shop eight years ago, notes they no longer regularly work with the royal family and feels it would be disingenuous to overly promote the connection. They still serve City guilds, but only if payments are timely—Bella has no hesitation in cutting off tardy clients, regardless of their historical stature.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, Lottie Longman—Hulbert's great-granddaughter—upholds the family legacy. Trained at Longmans, she now runs her own florist under her name and has earned a royal warrant through work at Holyrood. Lottie recalls watching her father create Diana's bouquet at age 11 and later training at the shop herself until it was sold out of the family in 2007.
Back in London, Bella Patel seems bemused by the idea of highlighting the shop's history, with only a small 'EST: 1896' hinting at its past. As she focuses on daily floral arrangements, the rich tapestry of Longmans' royal connections remains a hidden gem in the heart of the City.
