Two English Oak trees have been planted at Bath’s Royal Victoria Park to commemorate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and honour Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The ceremony which took place on 15th November saw the trees planted next to each other, so that at maturity their crowns will visually join to symbolise unity.
The location of the trees is also in keeping with the original layout of the heritage 57-acre park, which was opened by Princess Victoria in 1830.
The tree planting was carried out by Bath & North East Somerset Council and attended by HM Lord-Lieutenant Mr Mohammed Saddiq, the Chair of Council, Councillor Sarah Moore, the Mayor of Bath, Councillor Dine Romero and council Leader, Councillor Kevin Guy.
Children from Widcombe Junior School also attended the event in recognition of their tree planting initiatives. In 2022, the school was one of the 70 schools selected nationally to plant a Celebration Tree as part of the Queen's Green Canopy programme.
Following the planting, gatherers marked the occasion with a rendition of the National Anthem, led by members of the City of Bath Brass Band.
The Lord-Lieutenant, who planted the tree in tribute to His Majesty King Charles III, said: “It has been a very special occasion indeed and a lasting memorial to important moments in our history.”
The Mayor of Bath, Councillor Dine Romero, said: “It is a privilege to plant this tree as a lasting memorial to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to honour her life-time service to our country, the tree is a further addition to the country wide canopy started in her Platinum Jubilee, and is in recognition of the King’s longstanding commitment to the environment.”
Councillor Sarah Moore said: “These trees will eventually join as a united tribute to His Majesty King Charles III and Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and will leave a lasting legacy honouring their lives and service to our country. Trees improve our environment in many ways, including providing cleaner air, reducing pollution, and supporting our wildlife. These new trees will bring all these benefits for future generations. I’m delighted that Widcombe Junior School joined in with the tree planting to represent the future custodians of our green spaces across Bath and North East Somerset.”
The trees have been planted thanks to the support of the Charter Trustees of the City of Bath (Bath Ward Councillors).
The new trees in Royal Victoria Park mark some of the first planted across the district this winter planting season. A number of streets are also set to have greener futures as they are planted with trees over the coming weeks, as part of the Street Trees Project. You can find out more about the project on the consultation webpage: https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/street-trees-project.