While it’s often her eco-minded son and grandson, Prince Charles and the Duke of Cambridge, advocating for proactivity in tackling global warming, the Queen herself has now spoken out to echo their sentiments. The monarch said yesterday that she is ‘irritated’ by those who ‘talk but don’t do’, in what constitutes a rare direct comment by the Queen on the climate change crisis.
The MailOnline reports that the monarch made the remarks while attending the opening of Welsh Parliament on 14 October. Accompanied by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Her Majesty was heard in conversation with the Duchess and Elin Jones, a Member of the Senedd and the parliament’s presiding officer.
The Queen was recorded on the livestream of the event discussing the Cop26 climate change summit kicking off in Glasgow at the end of this month, where she and a number of senior royals will be present. The monarch reportedly stated: ‘Extraordinary isn’t it… I’ve been hearing all about Cop… still don’t know who is coming… no idea. We only know about people who are not coming… It’s really irritating when they talk, but they don’t do.’
Jones replied: ‘Exactly. It’s a time for doing… and watching your grandson on the television this morning [as Prince William discussed his Earthshot Prize] saying there’s no point going to space, we need to save the Earth.’ The Queen smiled in response, replying: ‘Yes, I read about it.’
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Such outspoken commentary is rare from the monarch, due to the fact that she must remain politically neutral, and also on account of her characteristic self restraint. Yet an issue with such a sprawling global impact transcends individual political divides, and both the royal’s late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as Charles and William, all made environmental conservation a key cornerstone of their work in the public sphere. Just this week, as the Duke of Cambridge forged ahead with his Earthshot Prize, his father, the Prince of Wales, also commented on the fact that world leaders had taken ‘far too long’ to tackle the climate crisis.
The Queen’s comments come in light of the news that the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, will not be attending the milestone conference in Glasgow in person, and there remains uncertainty over whether world leaders (including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro) will be present. US President Joe Biden, however, confirmed this week that he will attend.
The Queen previously alluded to the conference and the issue of climate change at the opening of Scottish parliament earlier in October, saying in her speech: ‘Next month, I will be attending Cop26 events in Glasgow. The eyes of the world will be on the United Kingdom – and Scotland, in particular – as leaders come together to address the challenges of climate change.
‘There is a key role for the Scottish parliament, as with all parliaments, to help create a better, healthier future for us all, and to engage with the people they represent – especially our young people.’
As for the monarch’s own lifestyle, the Queen has reportedly overseen the introduction of eco-friendly initiatives at a number of her royal residences; from smart meters to energy-efficient LED lighting and sustainable electricity sources. At Windsor Castle, for example, 40 per cent of the electricity is generated by two hydro-electric turbines on the River Thames.
Source: Tatler
