In the debate over King Charles’ refusal to attend this year’s world climate summit, a British minister went against the government line. Alok Sharma, who currently chairs the UN World Climate Summit and is also a member of the UK government, said in an interview: “I am absolutely in favor of His Majesty being present and I hear that from all over the world.”
Of course Charles is “the head of state in Britain, but he is also the head of state in other countries”. Some of them are already being hit particularly hard by the climate crisis, Sharma said in the BBC interview on Tuesday evening.
The palace had previously confirmed that the king would not travel to Egypt for the summit next month. This was reportedly decided on the advice of Britain’s new Prime Minister, Truss. Charles – a longtime advocate of climate protection – is said to have previously made plans and arrangements for the meeting. But as British head of state, the king traditionally acts in concert with the government.
Truss is counted as prime minister
Members of the Truss administration had also broken cabinet discipline on other issues in recent days and spoke out against the official line of government. Just a few weeks after taking office, the prime minister is considered counted.
Australian Secretary of State for Defense and Republican Change, Matt Thistlethwaite, also criticized the decision, using the process as an argument for Australia’s abolition of the monarchy: “The British Prime Minister prevented our head of state from attending the COP27 conference (.. . .) We need a head of state who represents the hopes of the Australian people (…).”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
