Prince Charles plants tree at The National Arboretum for the Queen’s Green Canopy project in honour of her Majesty’s platinum jubilee – and gives the sapling his customary ‘handshake’ to wish it well
- Prince of Wales visited the The National Arboretum in Gloucestershire today
- He planted a Monarch Birch tree in honour of The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC)
- The QGC is an initiative celebrating the Monarch’s Platinum Jubilee this year
The Prince of Wales stepped out in Gloucestershire today, as he planted a tree in honour of The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC).
QGC is a UK-wide Platinum Jubilee initiative which will create a lasting legacy in tribute to the Queen’s 70 years of service to the nation, through a network of trees planted in her name.
Prince Charles joined staff at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum to plant the aptly named Monarch Birch tree.
Despite being dressed in his trademark double-breasted blazer and brogues, the heir to the throne was not afraid to get his hands dirty, and was seen grasping a shovel and digging a small hole for the sapling.
He was seen giving the sapling his customary ‘handshake’ to wish it well, a custom he carries out every time he plants a tree.
Clarence House previously confirmed to FEMAIL that it is indeed a tradition of the royal’s, and it’s one of 70 facts about the heir to the throne published on his personal website.
The Prince of Wales visited The National Arboretum in Gloucestershire today, to plant a tree in honour of the Queen’s Green Canopy project, which celebrates the Queen’s platinum jubilee
The heir to the throne, who famously loves nature, was seen gently holding the sapling upfront after planting it in the soil
After prepping the ground for the tree, the royal was seen waiting for one of the Arboretum staff to gently put it in the earth.
Once the plant was in place, Charles was seen patting down the soil with his oxblood brogues.
The specially selected sapling was propagated from a seed at the arboretum and was collected from the wild, in its native home of Toyama, Japan in 2019 by a team from the University of Oxford.
This isn’t the first tree Charles has planted as part of the QGC. Last October, he was joined by his mother the Queen as they kicked off the initiative at the Balmoral Estate.
Charles was not worried about getting his hands dirty, and was spotted digging a hole for the sapling
The future king watched intently as one of the Arboretum staff carefully moved the small tress from its pot into the ground
Once the aptly-named Monarch Birch was in the ground, Prince Charles patted down the soil with one of his oxblood brogues
Her Majesty, who is the first British monarch to reach a 70-year reign, acceded to the throne on February 6 1952, aged 25, dressed down for the occasion.
Donning wellies and one of her traditional headscarves, her Majesty took a spade to the ground alongside Charles, as they planted the tree.
As they poured soil around the copper beech sapling, Charles quipped: ‘Let’s hope it will survive.’
Prince Charles and the Queen kicked off the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative last October (pictured), with the pair planting a copper beech sapling at Balmoral
Her Majesty appeared in good spirits as she donned a headscarf and ventured into the Balmoral grounds to plant a tree and kick of the QGC in celebration of her platinum jubilee
The Queen’s Green Canopy, which has its own Twitter account, says the tree planted by the monarch in October joined some 1,500 the Queen has planted around the world throughout her 70-year reign.
It is calling on people across the nation to follow her lead, and plant their own trees, using the slogan: ‘Plant a tree for the jubilee.’
It encourages people to plants their trees between October and March, to give them the best chance of survival.
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