Duke Of Sussex Will Use The Same Stainless Steel Shovel Used By His Grandmother In 1953
History repeats itself tomorrow.
The shovel that was used by Queen Elizabeth II in a royal visit in December 1953, to plant a tree at Lautoka, will be used again by her grandson, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, to plant a dakua seedling at Colo-i-Suva.
It will be the second time the shovel has been used by a member of the British Royal family in its 65- year history. It has never been used in any other event.
According to Ministry of Forests officials, this is a mighty 100-year old dakua tree, much like the one expected to grow from a seedling which will be planted by the Duke of Sussex at Colo-i-Suva tomorrow. Photo: Ministry of Forestry
The Ministry of Forests has kept the stainless steel shovel in one of its Nasinu offices “as a memento of a unique occasion.”
Prince Harry will use the shovel to plant a dakua (Agathis macrophylla) seedling. A plaque will be unveiled to mark the dedication.
The department says dakua is a fast growing large tropical tree. It grows 40 metres high with a trunk that comes around three metres across and it is an excellent commercial timber.
According to Plants for A Future, dakua prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The dakua has the ability to withstand strong winds, and can thereby act as a wind break or barrier. In certain situations, it is suited as boundary marker, because of size and longevity.
This shovel has only been used once by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. It is reserved to be used by members of the British Royal family. Photo: Ministry of Forestry.
