His Majesty King Charles III has not been shy about making changes to the royal residences he acquired when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away. The monarch is an eco-warrior and is keen to make as many sustainable strides as possible. His latest venture has been a 2,000-panel solar farm installed at Sandringham.
Aerial photos taken of the project, which is now complete after 10 months of work, show just how far the sun-powered panels stretch; however, what’s clever about their placement is that they are largely shielded from public view when on the ground, thanks to the surrounding woodland.
The sun has been shining unprecedentedly this summer, so hopefully Charles can cash in on the rays for the rest of the season. The solar panels, which cover 2.3 hectares of land, will provide energy for his Norfolk home and any remaining will go back to the grid.
The original planning application explained how it would both be visibly hidden but also promoted to visitors: “The well-screened nature of the site and modest scale of the development means the majority of these visitors would not be aware of the proposed solar array.
© Bav Media“However, the estate may wish to publicise its journey to transition away from carbon-based energy production and, in that sense, the proposed solar development would add further value to the estate as a tourism destination.
Inside the walls of Sandringham
The estate itself is rather magical, and inside the walls, the special feeling continues.
© GettyDeputy Online Editor, Sharnaz Shahid, has visited nearly all the royal residences that are open to the public, and Sandringham Estate is by far her favourite.
“It’s easy to see why the royal family treasure it so much. There’s a sense of peace and quiet here that makes this place feel like a private home,” she said.
She also managed to get a feel for royal life behind the scenes. “One of the tour guides even pointed out where King Charles enjoys his morning brew and where he likes to take afternoon tea – the visit really gave me a glimpse into everyday royal life,” Sharnaz said.
Sandringham closure
© Getty ImagesThe website explains that the estate will be closed this weekend due to special events. “The Sandringham Estate will be closed to general visitors from 14th-17th August for Heritage Live’s concert series. We look forward to welcoming visitors back from the 18th August onwards. Thank you in advance for your understanding,” it reads.
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