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Why Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles Planted a Tree Together at Windsor Castle

Chris Jackson/Getty Images The Queen and Prince Charles planting a tree earlier this year

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles have been doing a little gardening together.

The Queen, 95, and her heir, Charles, 72, planted a small oak at Windsor Castle earlier this year, kicking off a months-long campaign to get millions of new trees planted across the U.K.

The campaign, which is being run by the Queen's Green Canopy, is called Plant a Tree for the Jubilee, and it's one of the key commemorations ahead of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, which will be marked next year when Queen Elizabeth marks 70 years on the throne.

Urging people to get involved and "plant a tree for the jubilee – in other words, a Tree-bilee," Charles says in a new video that it is a "profoundly symbolic act."

It "is a statement of hope and faith in the future," he says. "Whether you are an individual hoping to plan a single sapling in your garden, school or community group planting a tree, a Council, charity or business intending to plant a whole avenue of trees, everyone can get involved."

Throughout her reign, the Queen has planted more than 1,500 trees on official duties all over the world, her son points out.

Tree planting season in the U.K. is from October to March and the Queen's Green Canopy will encourage planting during the official planting season.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

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In addition to promoting the planting of new trees, The Queen's Green Canopy hopes to highlight and showcase 70 irreplaceable ancient woodlands across the U.K. and identify 70 ancient trees to celebrate the monarch's 70 years of service.

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The QGC project will also create a pilot training program for unemployed young people between 16-24 years old through Capel Manor College, London's only specialist environmental college, of which the Queen's mother was patron, to plant and manage trees.

Starting in October, all planting projects can be uploaded onto an interactive map on the new QGC website so that people can share and inspire others, as well as create a green canopy of projects to cover the country, the organizers say.