Sophie, Countess of Wessex, is ambidextrous.
The 57-year-old royal - who has children Lady Louise, 18, and James, Viscount Severn, 14, with husband Prince Edward - revealed she is able to use both hands equally well while helping schoolchildren from Grange Park Primary School in Shropshire plant a tree at Buckingham Palace on Thursday (31.03.22).
As she began shovelling soil, Sophie told the group: "I'm left-handed. Well, I’m ambidextrous which means I can do things with both hands."
One enthusiastic child shouted: "I can too!"
Sophie added: "This is going to be the best-planted tree here, how many trees do you think are here already?"
While guests ranged from 20 to 200 million, there are actually 1,400 trees on the palace grounds.
The school group worked with Duchy of Cornwall forester Gerrant Richards to identify leaves and twigs taken from various trees and shrubs, and after planting their tree, they were taken to the palace's Bow Room and awarded with commemorative Platinum Jubilee coins as a thank you for their hard work.
Sophie explained how the Royal Mint were producing just 7,000 of the 50p coins.
She added: "So don’t put them in your piggy banks, don’t spend it, it is something really, really special to mark your special qualifications.
"If you have children and grandchildren one day, they will see it and know how really, really special it is."
The event marked the end of one out of two tree-planting seasons for The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) initiative, which has already planted one million trees across the UK in honour of Queen Elizabeth's jubilee year.
And the 95-year-old monarch admitted she is "deeply touched" by the tribute.
She said in a new statement: "As the planting season draws to a close, I send my sincere thanks to everyone across the country who has planted a tree to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee.
"I am deeply touched that so many community groups, schools, families, and individuals have made their own unique contributions to the Green Canopy initiative.
"I hope your Jubilee trees flourish and grow for many years to come, for future generations to enjoy."
