King Charles breaks silence after Prince Andrew bids farewell to royal life

Buckingham Palace has released King Charles' first statement after Prince Andrew said goodbye to royal life.

On October 20, the royal family's official social media channels disclosed that the monarch recorded a secret podcast with Cate Blanchett, Ambassador for Wakehurst, Kew and Dr Elinor Breman, Senior Research Leader.

They marked the 25th anniversary of the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens.

The monarch's spokesperson shared, "The Millennium Seed Bank, created by Kew, is the world’s largest underground seed bank and conservation resource for diverse wild plant species."

"Created in 2000, it is now home to over 2.5 billion seeds ensuring they are safeguarded against extinction."

King Charles has been playing the role of Kew's patron since 2016. Notably, he has been using his "unique position to champion action for a sustainable future."

"The King officially opened the Millennium Seed Bank in 2000, as Prince of Wales, and most recently visited in 2019," the statement further reads.

According to the royal family's team, the podcast, Unearthed: The need for seeds, is available on different streaming platforms.

It is pertinent to note that King Charles broke his silence to promote a meaningful cause after Prince Andrew announced dropping his title, the Duke of York, and other honours, amid the Jeffrey Epstein email scandal. 

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