Heathrow Airport was keen to name Terminal 5 after King Charles, according to reports.
The move would mean the airport would have two terminals named after members of the Royal Family, with Terminal 2 also known as the Queen’s Terminal since 2014.
However, the King was reluctant to accept the endorsement because of environmental concerns, a government source told The Times. Buckingham Palace subsequently “called in ministers to turn down the airport’s offer”, the newspaper reported.
Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said the UK’s busiest airport has “a long association” with the Royal Family
Asked about the potential naming of Terminal 5, Mr Holland-Kaye said: “There would be a nice symmetry I think to have our two main terminals – Terminal 5 and Terminal 2 – named the King’s Terminal and the Queen’s Terminal.
“But that’s a matter for the Cabinet Office.
“We’ve had a long association with the royal family,” he added. “We’re very proud of that.”
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With the King’s formal accession to the throne less than two weeks away, New Zealand’s prime minister Chris Hipkins has planted a native totara tree in parliament’s grounds to mark the occasion.
The ceremony was an early start to a campaign to plant 100,000 native trees around New Zealand, which begins in earnest on Coronation Day, 6 May.
Mr Hipkins said his office had liaised with Buckingham Palace over the best way to mark the coronation.
He said: “King Charles being an avid environmentalist and a keen gardener, we thought it was appropriate that we recognise his coronation in a way that leaves a lasting legacy that recognises his passions and his interests.”
Charles is still New Zealand’s king and head of state, but his role is largely ceremonial.