King Charles III and Prince William collaborated to bring Queen Elizabeth II's final project to a close. The King and his eldest son planted a tree at Sandringham in Norfolk, England, one of the Queen's favorite places, to honor her life and legacy. The tree planting marked the completion of the Queen's Green Canopy project, which involved planting millions of saplings throughout the United Kingdom.
The Queen's Green Canopy was launched in October 2021 as part of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. At the time, King Charles and his mother planted a copper beech tree together at Balmoral in Scotland. The project continued as a memorial to Queen Elizabeth II after her passing in September 2022.
On Sunday, King Charles and the Prince of Wales planted the final sapling, an Acer tree, in the gardens of Sandringham House, concluding the project.
As the @QGCanopy project comes to end, The King and The Prince of Wales have planted an Acer tree in the gardens of Sandringham House – one of over 3 million that have been planted in Queen Elizabeth II’s name as part of the initiative.
Chris Jackson pic.twitter.com/j11BK5Orgp — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 2, 2023
"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," King Charles shared on Instagram and Twitter, along with photos of him planting trees with his son and his mother. He expressed his gratitude to everyone across the United Kingdom who contributed to planting over three million trees in Queen Elizabeth's name.
He added, "This project has shown how simple, practical, and positive gestures can make a big difference, and I can think of no more fitting tribute to Her late Majesty's seventy-year reign."
Many royal fans commented on the post, sharing their personal contributions to the project. One person wrote, "Amazing, I even planted a tree in my own garden for the Queen." Another shared, "I've planted 20 trees in our garden for The Queen's Canopy...My last tree, Wedding Cake, is for our 50th wedding anniversary...I wrote to the Queen once. Received a lovely reply. Tolerance was Her Majesty's advice. Tolerance is her legacy."
One more commenter said, "Such a great initiative. It inspired me and my eco club at school to plant 90!"
Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, lent their support to the project in March 2022 by planting a tree in Wales. Additionally, in December, the Princess of Wales planted a wild cherry tree in Dean's Yard at Westminster Abbey in London before her 2022 Christmas carol concert.
The completion of the Queen's Green Canopy project serves as a testament to Queen Elizabeth's enduring legacy and the positive impact that simple gestures can make. Through the millions of trees planted in her name, the late monarch's memory will continue to inspire and bring people together for years to come.
