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2025 Rose Queen Lindsay Charles Brings Passion for Science and Sustainability to Historic Role

Published on Tuesday, December 31, 2024 | 6:29 am
 

During the October coronation ceremony, 2025 Tournament of Roses President Ed Morales presented Rose Queen Lindsay Charles with a Mikimoto crown featuring more than 600 cultured pearls and six carats of diamonds. [Tournament of Roses photo]
In a fusion of tradition and contemporary vision, Lindsay Charles, 17, is poised to make her mark as the 106th Rose Queen when she presides over Pasadena’s 136th Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. The Westridge School student brings her unique blend of environmental advocacy and scientific pursuits to a role that has graced Southern California’s premier New Year’s celebration for over a century.

Charles sees her multicultural background as central to her embodiment of the historic position.

“I think the multiracial and multicultural affinity is a little unique from other affinities,” she says. “And so I think being able to showcase that and connect with others through finding shared experiences has really helped my role in finding connection as Rose Queen and being able to uplift voices.”

Under the parade banner of “Best Day Ever!” Charles has woven environmental stewardship into the fabric of her reign. Drawing from her passion for biochemistry, she bridges her twin interests in environmental science and neuroscience.

Her vision aligns with ambitious local climate goals: “I think the biggest goal that we’ve kind of been working on in Pasadena is having that net zero carbon footprint by 2030,” she explains. “I really want to make it more accessible and more exciting for the members of Pasadena.”

The young queen approaches her ceremonial duties with the discipline of an athlete.

“Being on the Rose Court’s a lot like being in a sport,” Charles observes. “I think a lot of it is just time management… I can serve as an extra advocate or an extra voice that represents the [Rose Court] when necessary, but at the same time, everyone’s really good about speaking up and advocating for themselves.”

Charles’s connection to Pasadena runs deeper than parade floats and roses. Her appreciation for local cultural institutions like the Huntington and Norton Simon Museum has shaped her artistic sensibilities and leadership style.

“Ever since I was a kid, I liked more fauvism,” she reflects. “I think that coping mechanism, I guess in a way has influenced me to find adaptability in everything I do, including Rose Court. The schedule can be busy, but I think that message of being able to adapt to your schedule, being able to communicate and kind of find your way out of things, even if they may be unconventional, is really important to me.”

Her interest in neuroscience, sparked by personal experiences with chronic migraines, exemplifies how Charles brings her whole self to the role.

As she prepard to lead the 2025 parade, Queen Lindsay personifies the Rose Queen tradition in a completely contemporary way – one that honors its century-plus legacy while embracing contemporary challenges through environmental advocacy, scientific inquiry, and multicultural understanding.

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