Queen Elizabeth's Oak, Greenwich Park

Queen Elizabeth's Oak in Greenwich Park is an ancient tree that has stood for roughly 900 years within palace grounds. The trunk contained a substantial hollow cavity large enough to fit people inside.

The tree was already growing when the Palace of Placentia was built, where Henry VIII and his daughters were later born. It lost its vitality in the 19th century but remained standing until a storm brought it down in 1991.

The name honors Queen Elizabeth I, who was born at the nearby palace and spent time in these grounds. It remains a place where visitors connect with centuries of royal history through a living monument.

The tree is protected by a metal fence and sits in an accessible section of the park. A replacement sapling was planted nearby in 1992 and continues to grow beside the original remains.

After dying in the 19th century, the hollow trunk remained standing upright for over 100 years, supported only by ivy wrapping around it. This unusual resilience made it a rare example of nature's ability to sustain itself in unexpected ways.