King Charles appeared to sum up how much of Britain was feeling
as a senior royal aide stepped in with a handheld fan during an
engagement held in the country’s hottest June weather on
record.
The King was attending a climate reception at St James’s Palace
when soaring temperatures prompted Vice Admiral Sir Tony
Johnstone-Burt, the Master of the Household, to hold a small
battery-powered fan beside the monarch while he chatted with
guests.
The candid moment came as the UK recorded a provisional
temperature of 35.8C, eclipsing the previous June record set in
1976 and leaving much of the country sweltering.
Charles was hosting politicians, scientists and business leaders
at the reception, which formed part of London Climate Action Week
and focused on tackling climate change and reducing harmful
super-pollutants.
With the historic palace lacking air conditioning, organisers
relied on large portable fans to circulate air, while guests were
handed traditional paper fans to help cope with the oppressive
conditions. Many were seen wiping sweat from their brows as
temperatures climbed.
Opening the event, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband acknowledged the
extraordinary weather, telling attendees that medical staff were
available if anyone became unwell because of the heat.
“The very fact that we have to do that here in the UK in June
says quite a lot about the circumstances that we are in,” he
said.
Later, Mr Miliband described the soaring temperatures as “the
new normal”, warning that Britain could face even hotter summers in
the years ahead if climate change is not tackled.
During the reception, the King toured exhibits showcasing work
to reduce methane, black carbon and other super-pollutants,
speaking with representatives from organisations including the
Clean Air Task Force, the Clean Air Fund and the Wellcome
Trust.
The event highlighted international efforts to accelerate action
on emissions that have a significant impact on global warming, with
delegates gathering despite the exceptionally challenging
conditions inside the centuries-old royal residence.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source royalcentral.co.uk ’
