
Considered ‘strange’ for his many interests, hobbies and passions over the years, Charles is the third and last King of the United Kingdom and its Commonwealth Realm. But what kind of King is he? A ‘green’ king, or one who ‘hates’ modern architecture?
Queen Elizabeth II, long regarded as a figure of shrewd neutrality for her long 70-year reign, will be forgotten by UK political pundits. But attention is now on Charles and whether the ‘sensitive’ leader will be able to hold his subordinates together with the same glue his mother did.
His passion for saving the planet and organic farming – once derided as cranky – is now seen as ahead of his time. But a tendency to lobby his personal views on subjects such as contemporary architecture prompted questions of his judgment.
A ‘War’ on Modern Architecture
In the 1980s, Charles launched a crusade against “ugly” modern architecture, denouncing a proposed extension to the National Gallery in London’s Trafalgar Square as a “horrible carbuncle”. The planned design was scrapped.
Despite the ridicule, he put his philosophy into practice by supporting the construction of a model village called Poundbury on his estate in Dorset, in southwest England, in the early 1990s.
The housing development, built in a neo-classical Georgian style, was derided by some critics as original and soulless but it proved popular with buyers. He also helped to develop a derelict area, Nansledan, near Newquay, in Cornwall, with colorful environmentally friendly housing and local amenities.
The ‘Green King’
Charles III has long been regarded as a committed environmentalist with a long history of campaigning for better conservation, organic farming and tackling climate change, which is likely to sit well with the more eco-conscious. who are young Britons. However, some consider his environmentalism to be ‘fake’. A Guardian report published in 2005 analyzed the Prince’s past ‘world’ and whether he practiced what he preached. While it commended Charles for some of the steps he took, it also left some questioning whether the changes Charles incorporated through his means could be replicated on a large scale.
When Britain hosted the COP26 climate summit in Scotland last year, he gave the opening speech, urging the world leaders sitting before him to redouble their efforts to tackle climate change. -global warming and warning: “Time is literally running out.”
Sustainable House, Car Running on White Wine
At Highgrove, Charles cultivates a garden, which is open to the public, as well as a fully organic farm. This initially left some neighboring farmers skeptical, but gradually became a successful business and sold its products under the “Duchy Organic” brand to the high-end supermarket chain Waitrose.
“His Royal Highness has taken many steps personally to live more sustainably,” his official website for his tenure as prince of Wales said.
It noted that about 90 percent of energy for office and domestic use today comes from renewable sources, with about half generated from on-site renewable sources such as solar panels, biomass boilers and heat pumps and the rest comes from electricity and gas purchased from renewable sources. . Over the years Charles published his annual carbon footprint – including unofficial travel – which amounted to 445 tonnes in the year to March 2022.
His car, an Aston Martin owned for more than 50 years, was modified to use surplus English white wine and whey from the cheese-making process.
But Charles still likes to Find…
Green credentials haven’t stopped Charles from enjoying the traditional royal pursuits of grouse shooting and deer stalking, which has earned him criticism from animal rights activists.
He also played polo until forced to retire in 2015 due to a series of injuries.
Books and Art
Charles was an avid watercolor painter and sold lithographs of his works for charity, with sales reportedly totaling millions of pounds. In an exhibition of his watercolors in London in 2022, he wrote that he found the art form “one of the most relaxing and therapeutic exercises I have ever known”.
“I find that it takes me to another dimension that, literally, refreshes parts of the soul that other activities can’t reach,” he admits.
Some art critics, however, say that their value comes only from the inclusion of his name. “They’re not terrible,” sniffed Jonathan Jones in The Guardian in 2016. “They’re just ordinary – and clearly amateurish. He looks like what he is, a hobby artist.”
Charles supports traditional arts and crafts, including through the Scotland-based NGO Turquoise Mountain, which he founded with former British politician Rory Stewart and former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, which helps artisans in Afghanistan and other countries.
A softer stance on Harry and Meghan?
In the controversy that erupted with the departure of Harry and Meghan Markle from the royal family and their subsequent allegations of racist remarks, there is a rift between the monarchy and the young royal couple. However, after the Queen’s death, Charles III extended an olive branch, and gave his love to Prince Harry and his wife.
He also extended his wishes for the couple to ‘build their lives abroad’. Soon, Prince William, his wife Kate, Harry and Meghan were seen walking together and speaking in public.
Whether this is a start for improving relations remains to be seen.
A ‘Sensitive’ King?
Her vocal stances on issues including the environment have prompted some criticism that she has departed from constitutional rules that see the royal family remain politically neutral at all times. Charles has repeatedly promised to remain faithful to the practices of the constitution, most recently this week when he ascended the throne.
But he may not see environmental and conservation causes as overtly political. “He’s very sensitive as a head of state,” Ward predicted. “He has to be very careful about looking to act in a way that is seen to put pressure on the government. But I don’t expect him to say no more.”
Ruby Wright, a 42-year-old illustrator who came to Buckingham Palace to pay her respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, said on Friday that she hoped “she will stick to her guns”. “I think he needs to be more moderate and really push the environmental agenda and make that his legacy,” he told AFP.
“I know he is not allowed to be a politician but this is not politics. This is the future of humanity.” Laura Beirne, a 30-year-old fashion designer, agrees. “I think he’s a positive supporter of nature. That’s important, I think, for my generation.
As a king, he had little time for his passion for gardening and farming. He admitted in an interview in 1986 that he talked to plants, which attracted some ridicule. But the baton has been passed to his son William, who shares his commitment to the environment.
Last year William created the Earthshot prize, which rewards projects that propose solutions to the climate crisis.
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