Getty Images’ royal photographer Chris Jackson was once again behind the lens to capture history being made.
On Sunday, 2 April, Buckingham Palace released a picture taken by Mr Jackson that marks the end of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative.
Launched to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, it was due to close in December 2022, at the end of the Jubilee year. However, following the death of the Queen, King Charles III asked to extend the initiative until the end of planting season in March 2023 so that more trees could be planted in memory of his late mother.
Now that March has passed, the initiative was also drawn to a close, and Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s Green Canopy officials and the photographer all took to social media to post a picture to mark the occasion.
The image was taken in the gardens of Sandringham House and shows King Charles III and the Prince of Wales planting the last tree of the initiative. The picture is even more poignant when showcased side by side with the image that opened the initiative, which was also taken by Chris Jackson, in Windsor Great Park, that portrayed Queen Elizabeth II and her son planting the first tree of the scheme.
Embed from Getty ImagesTogether with the release of the new image, there was also a personal message from King Charles III, in which he highlighted the importance of the initiative and the meaning of tribute that it took on after the passing of his mother.
His Majesty wrote in part: “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.”
The Queen’s Green Canopy has reached incredible results in its two-year run: as of the closing of the initiative, more than three million trees have been planted all over the UK, with everyone getting involved, from individuals to schools and associations.
The initiative was led by Cool Earth, a UK-based non-profit dedicated to preserving rainforests, in collaboration with the UK government and the Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, which was in charge of providing most of the trees that were planted throughout the initiative.
It remains to be seen whether a similar initiative will be put in place to commemorate the Coronation of King Charles III; the new planting season starts in October, five months after the ceremony itself. However, it would seem like the perfect way of marking the official beginning of the reign of a king that is globally known for his keen interest in conservation and climate change solutions.
