Queen Camilla is set to be left devastated after her head gardener gained permission to hack down nine old trees at her country home.
The Queen spends much of her time at the Ray Mill estate, and last year admitted: “I can’t bear to see the trees come down.”
She retreated to the 17-acre property in Wiltshire following the state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Her head gardener, Paul Jellyman, applied to carry out work on trees which surround the stately home.
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Last year, she spoke of her devastation upon learning that Jellyman needed to remove some small-leaved limes flanking after she planted them too close together.
“Paul had to remove half of them — but when I was away, as I can’t bear to see trees come down,” she told Country Life.
Jellyman made an application to the council to cut back the huge trees in April, which he said was needed to keep them in a healthy condition.
In an application form to Wiltshire Council, he wrote: “The attached tree works are to maintain health or longevity by means of: defective or diseased parts, good structural integrity by removing individual dead, defective or diseased parts.
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Plans approved by the council to cut back the trees
Wiltshire Council
“Sympathetic pruning to minimise the potential for limb loss, improve the shape of the tree.
“Management objectives and commonly applied pruning options to maintain health or longevity by means of good structural integrity disease or pest control.”
Three Ash trees will be treated, one will be reduced and reshaped, another will have one of its lower limbs removed, and a third will undergo reshaping and have deadwood removed.
Deadwood will be removed from an Oak, and three Willows will be pruned.
One Alder will be felled, whilst another is going to have deadwood removed from it.
Plans approved by the council to cut back the trees
Wiltshire Council
Queen Camilla spends much of her free time there
PACorporate Director of Place at the council Parvis Khansari said: “In pursuance of its powers under the above Act, the Council hereby raise no objections to the above specified works to be carried out in accordance with the notification and plans submitted.
“The work shall be carried out and completed within a two year period from the date of this notice.”
No objections have been made to the plans.
The Queen bought the property in 1994 for £850,000, following her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles.
Following her marriage to Charles, she kept the property as her country retreat.
It has many luxury features, including an outdoor swimming pool, a terrace, stables and luscious gardens.
