King Charles has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to those who participated in the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, a project that aimed to increase and protect native tree cover in the UK. In a rare comment about his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch reflected on how the project has created an enduring legacy in her name.
“It is hard to believe that two years have passed since my mother and I planted a tree in Windsor Great Park to mark the commencement of the Queen’s Green Canopy,” said King Charles. “As the second planting season draws to a close, and with it this vitally important initiative, I particularly wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone from across the United Kingdom who has helped to plant over three million trees.”
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The initiative was launched in 2021 to mark the late Queen Elizabeth’s then-upcoming Platinum Jubilee. It was seen as a special gift to commemorate the Queen’s 70-year reign and was even dubbed the “Treebilee”. Despite the Queen’s passing last year on September 8, the project was extended to ensure its success.
The project aimed to increase and protect native tree cover while launching 30 urban planting projects and seeing 70 young people trained in jobs around the green sector. The initiative has so far seen over three million trees planted, and it will continue with another extension that includes planting trees in the 98 lieutenancies across the kingdom to mark the coronation of King Charles.
King Charles, together with his son, Prince William, planted an acer at Sandringham to mark the end of this year’s planting season. Meanwhile, Sir David Attenborough also planted a tree in Richmond Park as part of the initiative.
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the 74-year-old recently returned from his first state visit as monarch, where he visited the German capital, Berlin. During a State Banquet, King Charles spoke in German, much to the delight of guests. He referenced a British comedy sketch called “Dinner for One”, which has been watched by millions of Germans every New Year’s Eve since 1973. His Majesty elicited laughter from the room when he joked in German: “It is nice of you all not to have left me alone with a ‘dinner for one!'”
In summary, the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative has been a resounding success, and King Charles has expressed his gratitude to those who participated. The project aimed to increase and protect native tree cover, and it has launched many urban planting projects while training young people in the green sector. The extension of the initiative will see more trees planted to commemorate King Charles’ coronation.
