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King Charles will no longer attend the crucial Cop27 climate conference after Liz Truss objected to the planned trip, it has been claimed.
The new monarch is a passionate environmentalist and had been expected to attend the international summit in Egypt, having made a speech to world leaders at last year’s event in Glasgow.
He told them we are now in a ‘last-chance saloon’ to save the planet and is said to be ‘disappointed’ not to be going next month.
It appears that the new prime minister, whose climate credentials have been questioned, did not want Charles to attend the gathering in Sharm el-Sheikh, according to the Sunday Times.
The under-fire PM’s intervention seems likely to fuel tensions between herself and the new monarch, who has campaigned on the issue for decades.
Despite the pressing climate crisis, it now appears Charles’ first foreign visit as King will not be to the summit, while Ms Truss herself is also unlikely to attend.
Neither Downing Street nor the Palace would comment on the report, which said Charles wanted to deliver an in-person speech to delegates.
But the paper reported that Ms Truss raised concerns about the plan last month, when the pair met for an audience at Buckingham Palace.
A source who knows Charles claimed he would be ‘personally disappointed’ and was ‘all lined up to go’.
They said: ‘The Queen gave an entirely non-political address at Cop last year . . . it sounds like he is not being given the choice. That is an error of judgment on the part of the government.
‘The King could absolutely go and deliver the government’s message and give it credibility, given all the kudos he has in that space.
‘It’s disappointing if people don’t believe he’d be able to do that, of course he could. He delivered the Queen’s speech at the state opening of parliament, rattling off lots of policies that went against his personal beliefs.’
A Number 10 source branded it ‘ridiculous’ to suggest that the Prime Minister ‘gives orders’ to the King.
But by convention all overseas official visits by members of the royal family are undertaken in accordance with advice from the Government.
As Prince of Wales – before ascending the throne – there had been an expectation that Charles would go to the November 6 – 18 event.
Now it is understood that he eventually agreed that this would not be the right occasion for him to make his first overseas visit after becoming King.
The Sunday Times quoted a senior royal source as saying the decision was made on the Government’s advice and was ‘entirely in the spirit of being ever-mindful as King that he acts on Government advice’.
A No 10 spokeswoman said: ‘We do not comment on meetings between the Prime Minister and the King.’
However, a Government source said the Palace and the Government ‘considered separately and then agreed jointly’ that there might be ‘more suitable options’ for the King’s first overseas visit.
This morning, levelling up secretary Simon Clarke said it was ‘simply untrue’ that the King was told to stay away.
‘It’s been clear this is a decision that has been made consensually between the King and the Government,’ he said on Times Radio.
Despite not attending the event in person it is understood that the King still hopes to be able to contribute in some way to the conference.
It is unclear what form that could take but a video speech may be possible.
Charles and his heir Prince William, the then-Duke of Cambridge, both spoke at last year’s Cop26 event.
William, now the Prince of Wales, has also founded the Earthshot environmental prize.
At last year’s event in Glasgow, the Queen recorded an opening address urging world leaders to take action on the environmental emergency.
Unlike her predecessor Boris Johnson – a net zero enthusiast – Ms Truss is thought to be more sceptical about the green agenda.
This latest revelation seems likely to fuel that concern.
There was dismay among environmentalists when she appointed climate change sceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg – who has blamed ‘climate alarmism’ for high energy prices – as Business Secretary, giving him overall responsibility for energy policy.