The Queen and Prince Philip added two more palm trees to the grove of famous trees planted at Government House in a special ceremony yesterday.

About two dozen people, including groundsmen and their families, gathered on the lawn to watch. At 10.30 a.m. the Queen and Prince Philip exited Government House and walked toward the lawn.

She chatted with Governor Sir Richard Gozney, who pointed out to her two palm trees she and the Duke of Edinburgh planted on their last trip to Bermuda, in 1994.

"They are doing well and growing slowly," the Governor said. "And over there is the Japanese Yew tree that Your Majesty planted in 1953."

The Royals took their respective shovels and began to plant their palms.

"Have you got any cedars?" the Queen asked. "When we first came here many of them had died in the blight."

"Yes, we have quite a few," replied superintendent of grounds Stephen Furbert.

"That cedar was planted by Winston Churchill in 1942," added the Governor. "Most of them died off but this one survived."

Mr. Furbert later said he told the Queen she was using the same shovel she had used back in 1953.

An inscription on the shovel reads: 'Used by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second to plant a tree on Government House Ground on the 24th of November 1953.'

"The Duke was asking if there are any Bermuda cedars left so I pointed out a few cedars to him," Mr. Furbert said. "He asked if the cedars were native to Bermuda or hybrids so I told him they are endemic to Bermuda."

"I told him that we lost about 90 percent of our cedars in the blight."

He added: "The Queen commented on how nice the grounds looked. Then she asked me if I was the gardener. I said I was and then pointed out the other gardeners to her Toundi Hollis, Robert Fox and Mark Anthony Swan."

Earlier in the day, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband planted his own tree a palmetto palm on a different area of Government House.

"How old is it?" he asked as he examined the small tree. "It already seems like a growing child."

Sir Richard answered that it was between two and three years old. "Right then, is this the ceremonial spade?" Mr. Miliband asked, picking up the large shovel. "I'm not exactly Mr. Green Fingers so this may be a little challenging."

After he had planted the palm he said: "I've had a very good visit; some very good talks with the Government and it was very good to meet some Bermudians they were delightful.

"The kids have been fantastic, as well as the older people who have memories of the Queen's visit from the '50s, '70s and '90s. It really brings home the length and breadth of her impact on these Isles."