LONDON  - The official emblem which will be used for the celebrations to accompany the coronation of Britain's King Charles in May was unveiled on Friday, with the design giving a nod to the monarch's many years of environmental campaigning.

The emblem features flora from all the four nations that make up the United Kingdom - the rose of England, thistle of Scotland, daffodil of Wales and shamrock of Northern Ireland, which was a tribute to Charles's love of nature, Buckingham Palace said.

It was also designed to use the red, white and blue colours of the Union flag.

"The design was inspired by King Charles’ love of the planet, nature, and his deep concern for the natural world," said the designer Jony Ive. "The emblem speaks to the happy optimism of spring and celebrates the beginning of this new Carolean era for the United Kingdom."

Charles automatically became king of 15 realms, including Canada, New Zealand and Australia, on the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth in September, but his official coronation will take place on May 6 at London's Westminster Abbey in keeping with a tradition dating back some 1,000 years.

Accompanying the service, there will celebrations including traditional processions, a music concert at Windsor Castle, street parties, light shows and community volunteering, Buckingham Palace has said.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by William James)