King Charles will have to moderate his support for net zero after Kemi Badenoch disrupted the political agreement regarding the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. Senior royal sources have acknowledged that the 76-year-old monarch, who has spent over half a century advocating for environmental challenges, will need to choose his words more cautiously now that the Conservatives under Badenoch have stated it will be impossible for the UK to achieve net zero by 2050. The Conservative leader, Badenoch, believes that the only way to regain trust is to be honest and admit that reaching net zero by 2050 is not feasible. Charles III has previously publicly emphasized the importance of hitting the 2050 target, which was established by Theresa May’s government and supported by subsequent administrations. The main political parties in the UK were previously in agreement on the issue, but now the monarch risks being entangled in a political dispute. Craig Prescott, a constitutional expert, suggests that the monarchy needs to maintain a distance from party politics, and the king should be less specific about his own views on achieving net zero. However, Charles and Queen Camilla will continue to prioritize tackling the climate crisis and environmental challenges during their state visit to Italy.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/05/king-charles-will-have-to-tone-down-support-for-net-zero-after-badenoch-says-2050-is-impossible