'It's really irritating...,' UK Queen forays into world climate politics

The queen's rare public foray into big power climate politics came as worries grew that Chinese President Xi Jinping, leader of world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, would not attend October summit

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth (pictured) said she was irritated by world leaders who talk about climate change but do nothing to address global warming, and added it was still unclear who would turn up at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

 

The queen’s rare public foray into big power climate politics came as worries grew that Chinese President Xi Jinping, leader of the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, would not attend the October 31-November 12 summit.

 

Western leaders such as US President Joe Biden and British PM Boris Johnson have repeatedly warned that the world must change to slow climate change, but many environmental activists say leaders talk too much and do too little.

 

The queen, who is due to attend the 26th United Nations climate change conference, COP26, in Glasgow, appeared to agree in a conversation that was picked up by a microphone while visiting the Welsh assembly in Cardiff.

 

“Extraordinary isn’t it. I’ve been hearing all about COP,” the 95-year-old monarch told Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the wife of her son, Charles, Prince of Wales. “Still don’t know who is coming... We only know about people who are not coming... It’s really irritating when they talk, but they don't do,” Elizabeth said.