King Charles shows off new Sandringham Gardens ahead of Andrew’s move | Royal | News
King Charles is celebrating the restoration of Sandringham gardens just weeks before his disgraced brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor moves into the estate. The King, who celebrates his 77th birthday today, appeared on the cover of Country Life magazine.
In new photos published alongside the article, the monarch can be seen relaxing in the sunlight, leaning on a shepherd’s crook, without a jacket, wearing a faded open-collared shirt, beige trousers and brown suede shoes. The portrait was taken in a formal part of the gardens at the King’s Norfolk estate by Millie Pilkington, the photographer Charles hand-picked for the occasion.
Country Life editor-in-chief Mark Hedges described the King’s restoration of the gardens since he became monarch as “remarkable”.
“Over the last three years, His Majesty the King has overseen a remarkable restoration of the gardens at Sandringham, revitalizing historic views, redesigning formal parterres and creating new areas of reflection and natural beauty for visitors to enjoy,” he said.
The magazine described Sandringham’s 60-acre “pleasure gardens”, surrounded by woods and parkland, as a “showcase of the best designs”, where the King rebuilt the official grounds with a sundial garden, a topiary garden inspired by Charles’ childhood memories of Queen Alexandra’s ornamental garden at Sandringham’s Dairy Cottage, and a labyrinth.
The King is a fan of mazes and once told broadcaster and Country Life columnist Alan Titchmarsh that “there is nothing more enjoyable than getting lost in a maze”.
He also introduced a 400-yard-long (366 m) magnolia walk planted with hundreds of different varieties, including many of his personal favorites.
“The scale, speed and importance of what he has achieved so far cannot be overstated,” the magazine said.
The gardens at Sandringham are generally open to the public from April to October.
The king’s brother is set to move into a house on the larger, private Sandringham estate in the new year after being exiled from the monarchy.
All the information about Sandringham’s restoration is in this week’s issue of Country Life magazine, on sale now.
