Prince Charles Reveals The Meaningful Gift He Gave Grandson Prince George When He Was Born

It’s no secret that Prince Charles is a proud grandfather. In the documentary honoring his upcoming milestone birthday, Prince, Son, and Heir: Charles at 70, the grandfather-of-three sweetly shared the thoughtful gift he gave his oldest grandson, Prince George, just after his birth in 2013.

“This is George’s wood,” Charles said as he gestured to dozens of trees at the arboretum at his Scottish home of Birkhall that were planted when George, 5, was born. “As I get older, all I really long for is to plant trees,” the prince, 69, added.

Charles’ wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, who will also appear in the documentary, commented on the gift that Charles planted for George. “You can’t believe how much it’s grown,” Camilla, 71, said referring to the trees. “It was tiny when it was all planted. The next thing you know, you’re being dwarfed by it.”

Charles’ love for trees comes as no surprise considering he has always been committed to environmental conservation. The Prince of Wales’ son Prince Harry praised his father for constantly raising awareness on environmental issues during a speech at the Australian Geographic Society Awards in Sydney on Oct. 26. The Duke’s rhetoric echoed past speeches given by Charles that still ring true many decades later.

“My father and others have been speaking about the environment for decades – not basing it on fallacy or new-age hypothesis, but rooted in science and facts, and the sobering awareness of our environmental vulnerability,” Harry, 34, said. “And while those speeches would sometimes fall on deaf ears, he and others were unrelenting in their commitment to preserving the most valuable resource we have — our planet.”

Charles’ appreciation for environmental preservation and the devotion he bears for his grandchildren go hand-in-hand. Once Meghan Markle gives birth to her royal baby, the prince will have to get an updated family photo to put in the frame that sits in his living room. With the excitement of having a fourth grandchild on the way, Charles previously opened up about what being a grandfather means to him, according to Hello!. “It’s a different part of your life,” the father-of-two said. “The great thing is to encourage them. Show them things to take their interest,” Charles said as he noted that was what his grandmother did for him. “It is very important to create a bond when they are very young.”

Charles is an exemplary figure for the children of William and Harry, and we are so excited to find out all the things he will share with Harry and Meghan’s future royal baby! If you are interested in watching Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, the documentary will air on Nov. 1 on BBC One.