04 March 2024 , 07:00
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King Charles has stepped back from public-facing royal duties while he undergoes treatment for cancer.
Although he is continuing with duties behind the scenes, it may mean he has some extra spare time to enjoy his passions in life, such as art and gardening. He is such a fan of horticulture, the mesmerising gardens at his country residence Highgrove in Gloucestershire were designed by the King himself.
A spot of gardening is something that the King often gets to carry out on royal engagements as it is common to mark a royal visit by asking the royal in question to plant a tree. This means that the King has probably planted hundreds while carrying out duties - and it seems he has a bizarre ritual every time he does it.
Charles carries out a ritual every time he plants a tree (PA)According to the official royal website, after planting each tree, Charles grabs one of the branches, gives it a friendly shake and wishes it well. And it seems he loves trees so much, he built an arboretum and planted a wood at Balmoral naming it Prince George's Wood in his eldest grandson's honour.
He told the BBC in 2021: "The great thing was that I managed to plant it the same year that my grandson was born, the eldest, George, so I thought I'd call it Prince George's wood." He added: "As I get older all I long for is to plant trees. I hope it will be quite amusing for George, as they grow up, and he grows up.”
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As the King undergoes his treatment, he is set to miss the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey next Monday (March 11). Howevever, he will release a video message to celebrate the event where he will hail the spirit of togetherness throughout the 56 member states.
As part of his wish to "remain to be seen" the monarch has recorded a special message at Windsor Castle which will be broadcast around the world to mark the event. The theme for this year's annual meeting is “One Resilient Common Future”. Royal insiders told the Mirror the King was keen to express his thanks to people around the Commonwealth who have sent him thousands of get-well-soon messages after he was last month diagnosed with a form of cancer.
Other members of the royal family, including Queen Camilla who will be the most senior royal in attendance, and Prince William are also expected to attend the colourful service. Commonwealth Day - celebrated by people across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Americas, the Pacific and Europe - will start with a series of events and activities during March, including faith and civic gatherings, debates, school assemblies, flag-raising ceremonies and cultural events.