The Duchess of Kent made an appearance on the Peter Beales Roses stand at Chelsea 2000 to launch a new rose called ‘Bliss’, sales of which will help the Rhys Daniels Trust.

The charity was set-up by Barry and Carmen Daniels, who lost two children to a rare and incurable disorder called late-infantile Batten’s disease; the rose was named after their third child Bliss, who was born without the disease.

Funds from the sale of the rose will help to provide accommodation for families of children with life threatening illnesses, many of who have to visit hospitals miles away from their homes.

The Duchess explained why she became involved with the trust. "I met this remarkable family two years ago. They’d lost two of their kids, but instead of going under like the rest of us would, they carried on".