Monarchs join Swedish royals at Windsor to celebrate milestone despite ongoing health battle
King Charles III and Queen Camilla have commemorated the first anniversary of their coronation with a symbolic and heartfelt gesture, joining key members of the Swedish royal family for a tree-planting ceremony at Windsor Castle.
In a video shared by Buckingham Palace on the royal family's official Instagram, the King and Queen are seen planting a Swedish oak tree (Quercus robur) alongside King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. The tree was a gift from the Swedish monarch, sourced from the royal nursery at Solliden Palace—the Swedish royal family’s summer residence.
According to the Palace, the spade used by King Carl XVI Gustaf held historic significance, originally wielded by his great-grandfather, King Gustaf V, in 1908 when he planted an oak at Windsor with King Edward VII.
The event served as a touching tribute to the enduring ties between the two royal families and marked a major milestone—the coronation anniversary of King Charles and Queen Camilla, which took place on May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey.
While the ceremony was a celebration, it came during a challenging chapter for the monarch, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment following a diagnosis confirmed in February 2024. Despite his health battle, the King’s participation in the event demonstrated his ongoing commitment to duty and tradition.
