King Charles makes major change to Sandringham Estate 'to practice what he preaches'

King Charles, who this week celebrated his birthday on a south London trading estate, has been working on adjustments at Sandringham Estate, which is his country retreat in Norfolk

King Charles has had 2,000 solar panels installed on Sandringham Estate to continue "to do all he can" to protect the environment.

The green-minded monarch had the solar farm built on a former horse grazing paddock on the grounds of his country retreat. They will create enough energy to power the 150-room main house and outbuilding in Norfolk, and any surplus will be given back to the National Grid.

Solar panels are already on the roof of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, where Charles has reportedly turned down the heating as he strives to make the Royal Household net zero by 2030. A source said: "The King has talked of fighting climate change for decades... He practices what he preaches and does all he can."

It is also understood Charles has put in a smart meter at Balmoral, his cars are electric and two royal fleet Bentleys are being converted to run on biofuel.

The Sandringham solar panel planning application to King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council pointed out that they were “well screened” by existing vegetation. They are expected to last 40 years when they will be removed and the field returned to grazing, reports The Sun.

The monarch turned 76 on Thursday and was serenaded with a rendition of Happy Birthday as he marked his big day at a "surplus food festival" in south London. He highlighted the work of his Coronation Food Project, which aims to reduce food waste. He launched the initiative on his birthday last year after becoming concerned about the cost of living crisis. It has already raised £15million and saved 940 tons of food - equivalent to more than two million meals.

As he opened the first Coronation Food Project (CFP) hub, in Deptford, southeast London, he was serenaded by school children from Rye Oak Primary School in nearby Peckham and was presented with a birthday card adorned with a large 76-by-six-year-old pupil Zariah.

The King, who was repeatedly wished a very happy birthday throughout his visit, joined in with the applause as he thanked the children for their efforts. He bent down to shake a nervous Zariah’s hand, asking if she had helped make it before opening it to admire the signatures from children, parents and staff.