Small to medium sized, velvety dark- or red-purple flowers, sometimes with a hint of a mauve bar. Dark red-purple or grey-purple anthers on greenish filaments. The variety received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1993.

Group:	Viticella group
Approximate height:	3.0 - 4.0 metres
Flowering period(s):	Jul Aug Sep
Aspect:	Any aspect
Pruning:	Hard prune (Group 3)
Raised by:	Francisque Morel
Country of origin:	France
Date raised:	b1914 ic1939
Parentage:	Unknown
Other name(s):	viticella 'Royal Velours'. Mis-spellings: 'Royal Velour'; 'Royal Verlours'
Further detail:  Flower diameter: 4-8 (-12)cm Tepals: 4 (-6); obovate or rhomic, usually blunt, tip slightly recurved Database entry: 582