King Charles's car collection includes two Bentley limousines. As part of a broader sustainability initiative, these state Bentleys will be converted to run on biofuel within
the next year. In the long term, the plan is to transition to a fleet of official electric cars.
The Royal Household's annual accounts, published on Wednesday, unveiled several new environmentally friendly measures. Taxpayer funding for the monarchy's running costs remained at £86.3 million for the 2023-24 period, the same as the previous year. This funding, known as the "Sovereign Grant," covers official visits and residences.
King Charles, a long-time advocate for climate issues, is pushing for substantial changes in his first full financial year as king. Windsor Castle will soon feature solar panels, and the gas lanterns at Buckingham Palace are being updated with specially designed electrical fittings to enhance energy efficiency while preserving their historic appearance.
Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, emphasized that these environmental initiatives are driven by a commitment to sustainability inspired by the King’s leadership. King Charles has noted that his early advocacy for environmental issues in the 1970s was often met with skepticism.
The annual accounts, delayed by a month due to the General Election, also announced that the royal household would receive two new helicopters to replace the 15-year-old ones currently in use. These helicopters are essential for enabling the King and the royal family to reach remote areas of the UK. Efforts are also being made to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuel for royal flights where feasible.
The report highlighted a 3% decrease in natural gas and heating emissions across the Royal Estates. However, overall greenhouse gas emissions increased slightly compared to the previous year, primarily due to increased business travel following the change of reign in 2022-2023.
The accounts cover the period from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, including the celebratory coronation of the King and Queen. It also spans a challenging time following the cancer diagnoses of both King Charles and the Princess of Wales. Sir Michael acknowledged these events, noting that some might already seem like ancient history given the subsequent royal news.
In early 2024, both the King and the Princess of Wales temporarily withdrew from public duties to focus on their treatment and recovery from cancer. Despite this, King Charles undertook 464 official engagements, with the most costly being his state visit to Kenya at £167,000. The Royal Household continued its work behind the scenes, adapting swiftly to changing circumstances, with the Queen taking on more public engagements and the King resuming his state duties. Photo by Minzoblate, Wikimedia commons.
