Blue Peter presenter Joel Mawhinney presented the green version of the Blue Peter badge to the monarch. The green version of the Blue Peter badge is reportedly given to those who have shown commitment to looking after nature and the environment.
Notable previous recipients of the green badge include Sir David Attenborough and Prince William. King Charles wore the gold Blue Peter badge on his suit during the ceremony. Both King Charles and Queen Camilla previously received Gold Blue Peter Badges in Liverpool in 2023. The King was presented with the gold badge for his environmental work and support for young people through The King's Trust, while Queen Camilla received hers for highlighting the importance of literacy and reading.
During the same event, King Charles placed another Blue Peter badge into a time capsule. This time capsule is being buried to mark the 35th anniversary of the King's Foundation. It will remain buried for 100 years before being dug out by future generations.
The underlying principles behind what I call harmony, I think, we need to follow if we are going to somehow ensure that this poor old planet can support so many. It’s unlikely there is anywhere else.
The Earth Day gathering also featured meetings with school pupils involved in sustainability programs. King Charles met with primary school pupils taking part in the King's Foundation Growing Together, Cooking Together programme. He also met pupils from Auchenharvie Academy in North Ayrshire, who were recognized for their efforts in promoting sustainability.
King Charles has been a long-standing supporter of reducing food waste. The Coronation Food Project, established in 2023, redistributes surplus food to people in need in Merseyside, Birmingham, and London.
Earlier this year, King Charles appeared in an Amazon Prime documentary called Finding Harmony: A King's Vision. The documentary reportedly explained the King's ambitions for sustainability and his philosophy of working with nature, not against it. The exact criteria used to select King Charles for the green badge have not been disclosed, and the total number of green badge recipients to date is unknown.