Queen's speech at COP26 'is appropriate' says expert

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A political commentator has praised the Queen’s speech at COP26 as “appropriate” given the enormity of the summit and its subject matter. In a recorded video message, Her Majesty urged world leaders to unite together to focus their attention on the climate crisis, in her most significant contribution to the environmental debate yet. However, Bobby Friedman also warned that there was a limited number of occasions Britain should turn to its Royal Family, before their support loses its “effectiveness”.

When asked by talkRADIO host Julia Hartley-Brewer if the Queen would regret making such a politicised statement, Mr Friedman said: “In fairness to the Queen, this is a global issue where you have leaders of all of the main Western nations there agreed that we have to deal with it, you have every major political party agreeing that we have to deal with it, I have to say I do think we need to deal with it.

“That’s why I think it is appropriate, I do accept that this is sort of trespassing a little bit into politics.

“We have to be careful about how many occasions we roll out the Queen or Prince William because there’s only so many times you can do it before they lose their effectiveness.

“But I think this is such a big issue and you have to see from the way in which so many world leaders have turned up, I think it probably is appropriate.”

During her video message, which was recorded at Windsor Castle last Friday, the 95-year-old monarch urged world leaders to act for the sake of “our children, and our children’s children”.

Wearing a vivid green dress, the Queen sat in front of a photograph of her late husband Prince Philip and wore a butterfly brooch which was given to her as an engagement gift in 1947.

The image of the Duke of Edinburgh showed him surrounded by butterflies in Mexico in 1988. 

Speaking of his lifelong passion towards the environment, Her Majesty said: “I remember well that in 1969, he told an academic gathering: ‘If the world pollution situation is not critical at the moment, it is as certain as anything can be that the situation will become increasingly intolerable within a very short time. 

Queen warns leaders to 'rise above the politics' at COP26

“If we fail to cope with this challenge, all the other problems will pale into insignificance.

“It is a source of great pride to me that the leading role my husband played in encouraging people to protect our fragile planet, lives on through the work of our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William I could not be more proud of them.”

Prince William and Prince Charles are both renowned environmental campaigners and are currently meeting with world leaders at the COP26 summit. 

The two future kings, accompanied by their wives the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge, are carrying out a number of engagements on behalf of the Royal Family. 

The Prince of Wales gave a speech at the opening ceremony and has been conducting meetings with leaders such as Emmanuel Macron and Scott Morrison, whilst the Duke of Cambridge has met with finalists of the Earthshot Prize. 

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The four royals attended an evening reception on November 1, where the Queen’s message was shown to the assembled delegates. 

She noted that there was “always room for hope” when great nations come together, and added: “It has sometimes been observed that what leaders do for their people today are government and politics. But what they do for the people of tomorrow — that is statesmanship.

“I, for one, hope that this conference will be one of those rare occasions where everyone will have the chance to rise above the politics of the moment, and achieve true statesmanship.” 

Her Majesty was scheduled to travel to Glasgow for the opening of the summit, but “regretfully” cancelled her trip following advice from her medical team. 

After falling ill on October 20 and spending an evening in hospital, the Queen is currently taking a two-week period of rest at Windsor Castle. 

It has been made clear that her illness is not Covid-related and she has resumed “light desk-based duties” such as virtual audiences. 

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