Matt Baker, 47, issues heartfelt nine-word tribute to ‘inspiration’ Alan Titchmarsh, 75, over huge career achievement
Alan Titchmarsh has been inundated with well wishes – from some very familiar faces such as Matt Baker – as he celebrated being made a CBE by King Charles yesterday.
The King returned to public duties after a brief hospital stay, hosting an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.
The 76-year-old monarch was pictured smiling as he greeted guests during his first public engagement since experiencing side effects from cancer treatment last week.
During the ceremony, the King honoured the TV gardener with a CBE for services to horticulture and charity, while reigning world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson was made an MBE for services to athletics.
Titchmarsh, 75, has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in horticulture and broadcasting, spanning five decades.
After working as an apprentice gardener with Ilkley Council, he studied at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, before moving into gardening journalism in 1974.
His television career began with appearances on BBC’s Nationwide as a horticulture expert. He later presented popular programmes including Gardeners’ World and Ground Force.
Titchmarsh has also written numerous gardening books and novels since the 1970s, as well as being involved with various charities, serving as president of Perennial, the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society, and the plant conservation charity Plant Heritage.
Shortly after the occasion, Titchmarsh took to Instagram to celebrate the news with his followers, sharing a snap of himself with the accolade outside Windsor Castle.
Titchmarsh penned in the accompanying caption: “A glorious day at Windsor Castle. HMK on fine form. Now properly: AT CBE. What a very lucky chap.” (sic)
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Congratulatory messages soon flooded in for the 75-year-old, including a rather heartfelt tribute from Countryfile and nature programme presenter, Baker.
The former Blue Peter presenter took to the comments to tell Titchmarsh: “Congratulations Alan – you’ve always been an inspiration to me.”
Other celebs to share their well wishes including Nicki Chapman, Lizzie Cundy and Myleene Klass.
The King’s return to duties follows what palace sources described as a “most minor bump in the road” in his cancer journey.
Buckingham Palace said that following “scheduled and ongoing medical treatment” last Thursday, His Majesty “experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital”.
This led to the cancellation of a planned away-day to Birmingham on Friday. Charles was later seen smiling and waving as he left his Clarence House home in London.
He spent the weekend resting at Highgrove, his estate in Gloucestershire.
The King was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February 2024 and returned to public-facing duties last April.
Over the coming days, Charles will be carrying out a mix of public engagements, state duties and private meetings.
Friday will be spent making final preparations for the state visit to Italy next week.
A small number of appointments have been rescheduled to ensure an appropriate balance ahead of the busy trip. A separate visit to the Vatican has been postponed as the Pope recovers from pneumonia.
Despite still undergoing weekly treatment, the King has maintained a busy schedule of engagements since his cancer diagnosis.
Palace sources have emphasised that his recent hospital visit was not a major development.