The Sunday Times had previously reported that the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, wanted to prevent the king from attending. The palace, however, denies claims that there were any discrepancies. The BBC quoted the decision as having been made “in mutual friendship and respect”.
Under the rules of Britain’s constitutional monarchy, the king is prohibited from interfering in politics. Charles has acknowledged that as monarch he will have less freedom to speak out on public issues than he did as heir to the throne. All official foreign visits by members of the royal family are made after consultation with the government. A decision at the world climate summit would be the result of consultations and agreements.
Participation in the World Climate Summit 2021 – climate protection is important for Charles III. an affair of the heart for decades
Before he became king following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, there had been speculation that Charles would travel to the summit in his then role as Prince of Wales. The World Climate Summit (COP) is the most important international meeting of climate policy. Charles attended COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland last year, but his attendance at this year’s conference in mid-November in Egypt has never been confirmed.
Queen Elizabeth II gave a video address to the heads of state and government gathered in Glasgow last year. At that time, Charles called on the world in an urgent appeal to do more against the impending climate catastrophe.
While the 73-year-old has been a pioneer in climate protection for decades, Prime Minister Truss is pursuing a different line. She wants to return to climate-damaging fracking in Great Britain and develop new gas fields. There are several ministers in her new cabinet who are skeptical about the goal of climate neutrality in 2050.
ust/fh (dpa, ap, rtr, SkyNews)
