While Prince William and Princess Kate jetted off to the sunny Seychelles for their 2011 honeymoon, The King and Queen Camilla—who celebrated their 20th anniversary on April 9—chose a decidedly chillier option for their post-wedding trip. The royal couple traveled north for their April 2005 honeymoon, and according to a former royal gardener, Their Majesties didn't exactly spend their time sunbathing.
Charles and Camilla chose to vacation on the King's 53,000-acre Birkhall estate, which is located on the grounds of Balmoral Castle. Speaking on behalf of Fruity King, Jack Stooks, who worked as a senior gardener at Highgrove for more than 20 years, said he had a special reason for traveling to Scotland with the then-Duke and Duchess of Cornwall for their honeymoon.
Stooks explained that the flowers used for the couple's wedding had sentimental meaning, as they "were taken from the Queen's house at Ray Mill and the King's gardens at Highgrove." Following the wedding, held in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, the royal gardener "traveled in a white van to Birkhall to replant them" on the Scottish estate.
"There were a lot of cherry and amelanchier trees in the church and big square planters had been made for them," he recalled. "The plants being repurposed was a very lovely gesture and very fitting, as sustainability is an issue close to the King’s heart." In fact, The King was so excited about the trees that he actually spent his honeymoon helping to plant them.
“He’s got very green fingers and he loves plants," Stooks shared. "Myself, the Birkhall resident gardener and Charles helped to replant the trees during his honeymoon. He was happy to get stuck in and get his hands dirty."
The former Highgrove employee added that The King will "weed and prune too. He enjoys being outdoors.”
Along with tree planting, Stooks revealed that Charles and Camilla enjoyed the peace and privacy Birkhall affords. "At the time, there were still critics of the wedding so going somewhere private was what they both craved," he shared. "They could have a lot of royal protection there too. The press aren’t as intrusive in Scotland and it’s a lovely environment near the river."
As for what they did in Scotland, Stooks said that his bosses "enjoyed going on beautiful walks and there were lots of quiet spots for romantic picnics too.” Charles and Camilla even took time for a royal engagement during their romantic break, cutting the ribbon at a local playground and greeting members of the public.
And even though The King is a known workaholic, he took the trip as an opportunity to recharge. "He’s very renowned for her work ethic but Charles and Camilla’s honeymoon gave them the opportunity to relax," Stooks said. "It also gave them a nice place to open wedding gifts and write some thank you notes. They were both officially off work so I’m sure they enjoyed the chance to unwind."
