Setting examples

King Charles III: Leading Green Revolution From The Throne

King Charles III was a champion of environmental causes long before he ascended to the British throne. And, fittingly, in the first full year of his reign, the British monarchy introduced a slew of measures to tackle its rising carbon emissions.

The royal family is going green
Solar panels will be installed on royal grounds
THIS is the initiative Charles wants to start

In a bold move that's got the world buzzing, King Charles III (74, Monarch) is proving that when it comes to the environment, he's not just all talk. The British monarchy, under his reign, is pushing forward with groundbreaking measures to slash carbon emissions, making the royal lifestyle greener than ever before!

Royal Residences Go Green

Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are getting major eco-friendly upgrades. Those old gas-powered lanterns at the Palace? They're being switched to electric. And Windsor Castle, the iconic venue of Prince Harry and Meghan's fairytale wedding, is now basking in the glory of solar energy with new panels adorning its royal roof.

But that's not all! The King's two luxurious Bentleys are set to run on biofuel, marking a significant step towards an "almost fully electric" royal fleet. While the debate on biofuels continues, the Royal Household is steering clear of fossil fuels, aiming for a cleaner, greener future.

Flying royal? Expect to see a greener sky as the monarchy introduces sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for their new helicopters. These eco-friendly birds will ensure the royal family can reach the UK's most remote corners without leaving a heavy carbon footprint.

King Charles isn't stopping there. Sandringham Estate, a cherished royal residence, could soon be powered entirely by the sun. A proposal for 2,000 solar panels could make the estate self-sufficient in electricity, shining a light on the future of royal energy consumption.

Sandringham has been the private home of four generations of British monarchs since 1862 and where the royal family traditionally gathers to celebrate Christmas.

Big numbers

The Royal Household has its work cut out on reducing pollution: the accounts released Wednesday showed that its overall carbon emissions rose 4% in the 2023-24 financial year to 5,994 tonnes (6,607 tons). That’s the equivalent of running more than 780 average homes in the United States.

Despite these ambitious initiatives, the Royal Household's carbon emissions have seen a slight uptick, rising 4% in the last financial year.

It's a reminder that the road to sustainability is long and winding, but with a monarch like Charles at the helm, the journey is well underway.

Under an arrangement dating back to 1760, the monarch hands over all profits from the Crown Estate — which includes vast swathes of central London property as well as the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland — to the UK government in return for the Sovereign Grant.

Crown Estate profits soared in the 2023-24 financial year to a record £1.1 billion ($1.4 billion), boosted by revenue from offshore wind projects.