His Majesty King Charles III joins podcast series host Cate Blanchett for a special episode launching the fourth series of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s Unearthed podcast.
Produced by Fresh Air, Unearthed: The Need for Seeds celebrates 25 years of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, the world’s largest wild seed bank and a global centre for plant conservation.
The episode sees Blanchett, Kew’s Ambassador for Wakehurst, and Dr Elinor Breman, Senior Research Leader in Seed Conservation, join The King at Windsor Castle to discuss the project’s beginnings, its achievements, and its vital mission for the planet’s future. His Majesty The King is Patron of the Royal Botanic Gardens.
In The King’s second ever podcast appearance, the conversation explores how Kew’s seed scientists are helping to combat climate change and biodiversity loss, with recent work spanning Australia, South Africa and beyond.
Dr Breman also shared plant seeds and conservation kits with The King, who discussed his long-standing interest in seed science and conservation methods.
Following the royal episode, the new series continues to uncover stories from the Millennium Seed Bank – a living vault where science and conservation meet to protect the world’s biodiversity.
Blanchett guides listeners through Kew’s groundbreaking global efforts to secure the plants that sustain life on Earth.
“Recording the podcast was an absolute joy,” said Blanchett. “I witnessed the invaluable science carried out daily by the team at Wakehurst and their partners around the world. Seeds may be tiny, but they are of monumental importance to us all.”
Unearthed: The need for seeds featuring His Majesty King Charles III is available from today, 20 October on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
