King Charles is to plant a sapling of the Sycamore Gap tree in a royal park, eight months after the iconic tree was felled.
On Monday, the monarch received the first seedling grown from seeds collected from the tree, which stood next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland for 200 years when it was felled in September.
Once the seedling has matured into a sapling, Charles will plant it in Windsor Great Park for visitors to enjoy as a symbol of the hope and beauty that can come from loss, the National Trust said.
There were protests when the tree was felled last year in an act of vandalism, and Northumberland National Park said it had received 2,000 “heartfelt” messages from people around the world expressing their regret.
Historic England said Hadrian's Wall had also been damaged during the felling.
A collection of small seedlings and shoots from the 50ft tree was propagated at the National Trust plant conservation center in Devon, which has so far produced more than 100 seedlings and more than 40 cuttings.
The seedling will continue to be cared for by expert horticulturists until it is ready for planting.
In a social media post, Buckingham Palace said: “Part of the power of trees to move and comfort us lies in the continuity and hope they represent: the sense that, rooted in the past and flourishing in the present, Its seeds will be transported to a future still unimaginable.”
May 27 is Celebration Day, a national day dedicated to remembering and celebrating the people who are no longer with us and have shaped us to be where we are today, the National Trust said.
Charles, a long-time environmentalist, is a patron of the National Trust and was its president from 2003 until his accession to the throne in 2022.
The Sycamore Gap tree was among the most photographed trees in the UK and was made famous in a scene in Kevin Costner's 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
The National Trust said planting plans for the other surviving seedlings will be announced later this year, including in Northumberland.
The trees these seedlings grow on, including the one Charles received, are expected to distribute their own seeds widely via the wind.
Hilary McGrady, chief executive of the National Trust, said: “It is wonderful news that Her Majesty will one day bear the first sapling of this iconic tree.
“The new tree will be seen by thousands of people each year and will be the first of many Sycamore Gap saplings planted in different locations, across Northumberland and beyond.
“The surge of emotion we saw after the sycamore felling demonstrates how personally connected we all are to our natural heritage.
“These new green shoots keep the story of Sycamore Gap alive and serve as a reminder of the simple and much-needed hope, joy and respite that nature can provide.”
The public first saw the seedling at the Chelsea Flower Show on May 20, when Dame Judi Dench placed it in the garden at Octavia Hill, named after the charity's founder.
Andy Jasper, director of gardens and parks at the National Trust, said: “It was quite overwhelming and incredibly humbling to see the public's reaction to the first seedling successfully germinating and growing in our special plant conservation centre, on display at the Chelsea . Flower Show last week.
“Personally, it gave me great joy to tell his story to the thousands of visitors to the booth, and to witness and feel firsthand the flood of emotions of what this little sapling means to so many people across the country.”
