Queen Elizabeth’s Sentinel Final Project Comes to an End 7 Months After Her Death

Queen Elizabeth II’s final project has come to a close, and it is bittersweet for those that are grieving her. On Sunday, the royal family announced the Queen’s Green Canopy project was officially finished when Prince William and King Charles III planted one last Acer tree in the garden at the royal residence Sandringham House. The project was started two years ago as part of the queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and it has added over 3 million new trees to the U.K.

The Queen’s Green Canopy is a nationwide initiative created in honor of the queen’s Platinum Jubilee – the celebration of 70 years on the throne. After the queen’s passing in September of 2022, the initiative was extended through March of 2023 in her honor, since March generally marks the end of tree-planting season in the U.K. The royal family’s social media pages shared a photo of King Charles and Prince William standing beside the last sapling planted for the project with shovels in hand. The post also included a photo from 2022 where Queen Elizabeth and Charles stood beside one of the first trees planted.

“It is hard to believe that two years have passed since my mother and I planted a tree in Windsor Great Park to mark the commencement of The Queen’s Green Canopy,” the king said in an accompanying statement. “As the second planting season draws to a close, and with it this vitally important initiative, I particularly wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone from across the United Kingdom who has helped to plant over three million trees to create an enduring legacy in Queen Elizabeth’s name. This project has shown how simple, practical and positive gestures can make a big difference, and I can think of no more fitting tribute to Her late Majesty’s seventy-year reign.”

According to a report by PEOPLE, the Green Canopy has roped in some huge stars to participate over the last two years, including Dame Judi Dench. Dench has narrated a new video about the initiative which was also released on Sunday on the royals’ social platforms.

With the end of this initiative, there are three ongoing projects remaining from the Platinum Jubilee. They are the Coronation Trees project, the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards and a donation from the Queen’s Green Canopy Book to a handful of charities. The king’s coronation is coming up fast on Saturday, May 6.