King Charles has graced the cover of Country Life magazine, celebrating the extensive restoration of his Sandringham gardens.
The monarch is pictured in a relaxed pose, leaning on a shepherd’s crook, dressed casually in a pale open-necked shirt, beige trousers, and brown suede shoes, without a jacket.
The portrait, taken in a formal section of the Norfolk estate’s gardens, was captured by photographer Millie Pilkington, who was personally selected by Charles for the occasion.
Mark Hedges, Country Life editor-in-chief, lauded the King’s efforts since his accession as "remarkable".
He stated: "Over the past three years, His Majesty The King has overseen a remarkable restoration of the gardens at Sandringham — reviving historic landscapes, reimagining formal parterres and creating new spaces of reflection and natural beauty for visitors to enjoy."
The magazine highlights Sandringham’s 60 acres of "pleasure gardens" as a "showcase of the finest designs".
The King has meticulously rebuilt formal areas, introducing a sundial garden, a topiary garden inspired by his boyhood memories of Queen Alexandra’s ornamental garden, and a maze.
In 2023, the Sandringham lawn was revamped into a “climate friendly” topiary garden.
It is seen as a way to help the current lawn at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk which has suffered during bouts of warm weather and heavy rainfall.
A known enthusiast, Charles once told broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh that "there’s nothing more enjoyable than getting lost in a maze".
Further enhancements include a 400-yard (366m) magnolia walk, featuring hundreds of varieties, many of which are personal favourites. Country Life emphasised: "The scale, the speed and the importance of what he has already achieved cannot be overemphasised."
The private estate, which has served as the private home of five generations of British monarchs for more than 150 years, is often used to host family engagements, including Christmas.
Sandringham was a beloved retreat of Queen Elizabeth II and is now a favourite of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
King George V once described Sandringham as “the place I love better than anywhere else in the world”.
The Sandringham gardens are typically open to the public from April to October.
Separately, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is expected to relocate to a property on the wider, private Sandringham estate in the new year, following his removal from royal duties.
The full feature on the restoration is available in this week’s edition of Country Life magazine.
