By Sean Coughlan | Royal Correspondent

It wasn’t your typical royal affair. In the sun-drenched gardens of Highgrove, King Charles III hosted a gathering unlike any seen before at a royal estate—a vibrant, spiritual event called the “Harmony Summit,” meant to embody and project his lifelong philosophy of unity with nature.

Around a fire ringed with flowers, guests—including Indigenous leaders in feathered regalia, environmentalists, organic farmers, climate campaigners, educators, and even actor Rainn Wilson from The Office—stood with the monarch and raised their arms in a ceremony to honour the four cardinal directions and Mother Earth.

This spiritual gathering, led by an Indigenous Earth Elder reading prayers from an iPhone, featured conch shells, butterflies, feathers, and vibrant traditional clothing. Amid the colourful pageantry stood King Charles, quietly observant, wrapped in a ceremonial scarf and a crown of feathers.

A Vision of Harmony

The Harmony Summit was the first of its kind, designed to bring together voices from across the world who advocate for sustainable living and respect for traditional ecological knowledge. According to the King’s Foundation, this summit is intended to become an annual event rooted in Charles’s philosophy that human life must work “with the grain of nature, not against it.”

This belief system has long underpinned the King’s work—from organic agriculture and environmental protection to urban planning and interfaith dialogue. His 2010 book, Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World, outlines this worldview as a “call to revolution,” challenging modern consumerism and disconnection from the natural world.

Now, decades later, many of the King’s once-radical ideas have moved into the mainstream.

A Legacy Taking Shape

An aide close to the King described this philosophy of harmony as “perhaps the most important part of his eventual legacy,” linking together his environmental work, advocacy for traditional craftsmanship, and support for religious and cultural respect.

Whether encouraging sustainable farming or building communities rooted in nature’s rhythms, Charles views these strands as interwoven—a metaphor reinforced by his own handiwork at Highgrove, where he constructs traditional wooden fences using natural techniques.

At the Harmony Summit, Bishop Graham Usher of Norwich, who said grace at lunch, noted how this ecological vision aligns with the King’s Christian faith. “He draws energy from prayer and contemplation,” said the bishop, highlighting the King’s quiet spiritual depth and his openness to other religious traditions.

Voices from the Earth

The Summit’s central theme was learning from Indigenous wisdom. Speakers from the Amazon, Africa, and other regions spoke candidly about the existential threats to their communities—land seized, rivers poisoned, and cultures erased by industrial expansion and extraction.

Mindahi Bastida from Mexico spoke of modern people losing touch with nature, “too focused on the clock to feel the breeze.” Rutendo Ngara from South Africa called today’s era a time of “loud forgetting.”

One of the most powerful voices was Uyunkar Domingo Peas from Ecuador, who turned down oil money to protect his ancestral land. “Harmony,” he said, “means well-being for all living and spiritual beings. Everything is connected.”

Even as attendees honoured tradition, they didn’t shy away from hard truths. Some condemned the broken promises of global climate summits, calling out inaction and Western hypocrisy.

Ailton Krenak from Brazil spoke emotionally about rivers so polluted and dry they now resembled “a grandfather in a coma.”

More Than a Philosophy

The Summit also highlighted real-world applications of harmony. Richard Dunne, head of the Harmony Project in UK schools, described how he uses nature to help traumatized children in war-torn Ukraine find healing. “They want a future of living well together,” he said. “Harmony resonates.”

Craftswoman Beth Somerville, who trained through the King’s Foundation, said the philosophy helps her create beautiful, functional work rooted in respect for materials and environment. “It inspires me and gives me hope.”

A Quiet Sanctuary in a Noisy World

Within the lush grounds of Highgrove, King Charles has even built a private sanctuary where he can spend time alone in contemplation. It reflects his personal search for balance, away from the political noise and ceremonial pageantry.

The Summit’s central message—that everything is interconnected—was made tangible in every moment. From fire rituals to philosophical debates, the Harmony Summit offered a rare and intimate look at a monarch not merely performing tradition but actively shaping it.

For King Charles, this isn’t just a ceremonial interest. It is, increasingly, the heart of his public mission and private faith: a belief that in a fractured world, harmony with each other and with nature is not just possible—but essential.