AIBU to find it difficult to listen to the Royals on the environment?

[NotFrozen]

This week both Prince Charles and Prince Williams have given interviews in which they warn about the dangers of climate change and discuss the need for change to protect our planet for future generations.

If any other person was expressing this view, I would be agreeing wholeheartedly - I am not a climate change denier.

But when I hear this message coming from the Royals, my stomach turns a little. They live in vast palaces, which presumably must be heated, and own vast amounts of land which could be used to help the environment. They have every possible privilege at their disposal. I feel that it is too easy for them to say the right thing without themselves reflecting on their own environmental impact, or having to change their lives. By real change, I don't mean Prince Charles using wine to power his vehicle(s), but I am referring to what they could do to reduce the environmental impact of the Royals as a whole and, more significantly, what positive change they could bring using their land, resources and wealth.

AIBU - the Royals are doing something positive by using their position to draw attention to this issue.

OR

Am I being reasonable - the Royals would have a greater impact by addressing what they can do with their own land, property and financial resources to bring about change.

Alternatively - am I being reasonable because the Royals are just annoying and it's difficult to like them at the moment given Andrew's position!

I can only assume that my message is far too reasonable to attract interest in AIBU!

I sort of get what you are saying Op. It’s easy to use reusable nappies when you are not run off your feet with a busy job, more children, trying to run a home on very little money and have someone to wash them for you!

Sort of but i am very gkad they are drWing attention to this as people listen to them righly or wrongly. Thank god our future King cares. Im not a royalist btw.

Typos! Sorry

YANBU - it's like when multimillionaire actors/musicians lecture to us while doing nothing to change their own incredibly greedy/lavish lifestyles. Showing would be much better than telling.

I think it would be great if they started by leading by example and I don’t mean driving an electric Tesla around and wearing your Valentino-dress twice.

YABU - Prince Charles has been advocating for the environment for most of his life

I’d guess the carbon footprint of senior royals is very significantly more than Mr & Ms Average UK. They also have enormous opportunity to improve the environment - via use of their own land, for example - that the Average Person doesn’t have. They appear to be actually DOING far too little far too late.

I agree OP.

Particularly the younger royals who live very intetnational consumerist lifestyles

I’m on the fence. On one hand, I believe in the issue, so I think anyone trying to do something big to help is great. I heard recently that Prince Charles knows that he will get attacked in the media for his double standard on the environment (taking private keys to engagements, the palaces etc), but that some of those things are job requirements or property not owned by him that he can’t change (yet) and that he is prepared to cop the flack and keep talking because the environmental issue is so important. He has also a lot of experience in this area and has been raising it (initially to ridicule) for years. I respect him for that.

On the other hand, Meghan and Harry’s way of speaking about it makes me want to invest in fossil fuels, so I recognise the double standard in myself.

Re the Royal: I would really like to understand why the Queen lobbied (successfully) for an exemption from laws designed to cut carbon emissions in Scotland, where she’s one of the largest landowners. Apparently she’s the only person in Scotland with the exemption. But why would she need or want this, what was her justification I wonder? I’d like to see them address this before preaching to the rest of us.

I don't have a problem with Prince Charles. I think he has a lot to add on the topic and I have admired his work for many years. It is nice that William is following his father and I am sure will add to his legacy. YABU

@JemimaTab

Re the Royal: I would really like to understand why the Queen lobbied (successfully) for an exemption from laws designed to cut carbon emissions in Scotland, where she’s one of the largest landowners. Apparently she’s the only person in Scotland with the exemption. But why would she need or want this, what was her justification I wonder? I’d like to see them address this before preaching to the rest of us.

The Queen is exempt from all laws in the United Kingdom.

You didn't activate voting.

Prince Charles and the DofE before him have been talking about environmental concerns forever, glad prince William is following in his footsteps tbh.

That’s not necessarily the case.
amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jul/28/queen-secretly-lobbied-scottish-ministers-climate-law-exemption

Prince Charles has invested a lot of time and money intro organic and sustainable farming and land management. The duchy of cornwall is a huge swathe of lands & he encourages organic practices and biodiversity.

PW and family have often used commercial flights. There might be 50+ people who 'live' in the palaces at any one time, so they would have 50 individual homes with the carbon footprint associated with that if they weren't at the palace.

The royal estates all focus heavily on natural woodlands, biodiversity, sustainable practice etc. I think it's unrealistic to the point of laughable at some of the suggestions here for reducing the RF's carbon footprint. Them discussing the issue and bringing it to the fore is the best thing they can possibly do,

I agree, why do the richest people with massive carbon footprints see fit to lecture the rest of us? I feel like many royals do actually try hard to be environmentally aware e.g Prince Charles has a great track record and I admire that, but they should be focusing on businesses and their rich celebrity mates rather than regular people who have less means.

Yes. I thought exactly the same. I can't take them seriously as their carbon footprint must be huge.

They are hypocrites

parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2020/11/07/prince-charles-and-conservation-in-the-cairngorms-national-park/

Yes, just hypocrites , leading extravagant lives moving with their staff around the various palaces, stately homes and mansions they own.

I believe Prince Charles has either exclusive use of or owns at least 6 properties.

Worst hypocrites alive! Having audacity to lecture and moan about wealthy people spending money on a space race when

1. they don't even earn their money, it comes off the back of hard work of taxpayers. We are the modern day slaves for them.

2. they spend money on ridiculous priced clothes so who are they to preach about what people should spend money on

I do think they are hypocrites, but you've got to hand it to them, they are the world's experts in coming up with stuff to make them look better in times when their popularity might be questioned.

I'd be really interested in why the Queen got an exemption for the Heat Networks Bill.

Oh and we are expected to switch to electric cars in some near future but who is going to help buy me an electric car. I'm not poor enough to get government funding, im notnrich enough to buy it myself.

Stuck in the middle. Meanwhile they show off their £110k electric car. Absolutely tone deaf. What was wrong with a Nissan leaf

And what is the environmental cost of lithium, from mining it to producing the batteries to then disposing of them......people moan about cos but ignore the production side of these electric cars

@Angeldust747

YABU - Prince Charles has been advocating for the environment for most of his life

I think you mean Charles has been advocating that us minions do our bit for the environment, while he continues to live his extravagant lifestyle, e.g. travelling short distances by helicopter, taking private jets and travelling alone by royal train.

They are just trying to become relevant by jumping on the nearest available bandwagon.

A PP mentioned that they take commercial flights - yeah, when they have booked all the seats so they have excusive use. I don't think that counts.

I will take them seriously when I see them on bicycles.

They are all hypocrites.