As the COP26 Climate Change Conference commenced in Glasgow, the Queen delivered a powerful speech.
Speaking via video message, Her Majesty spoke from the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle to world leaders gathered at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
She encouraged people to work “side by side” to help combat the global effects of climate change, as she referenced her “dear late husband” Prince Philip, who was also passionate about the cause.
“I am delighted to welcome you all to the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference; and it is perhaps fitting that you have come together in Glasgow, once a heartland of the industrial revolution, but now a place to address climate change,” the Queen said in her message.
“This is a duty I am especially happy to discharge, as the impact of the environment on human progress was a subject close to the heart of my dear late husband, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh.”
Her Majesty recalled Philip’s passion for protecting the planet, as she said how proud she was of his legacy.
“It is a source of great pride to me that the leading role my husband played in encouraging people to protect our fragile planet, lives on through the work of our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William. I could not be more proud of them.”
Speaking to the challenges of the climate emergency, the Queen said that “none of us underestimate the challenges ahead.”
“History has shown that when nations come together in common cause, there is always room for hope. Working side by side, we have the ability to solve the most insurmountable problems and to triumph over the greatest of adversities.”
She went on to say how important fighting the climate crisis is for future generations, as she noted “none of us will live forever”: a poignant statement from the 95-year-old monarch how was unable to attend the summit in person due to health reasons.
Image credits: Getty Images
This article first appeared on Over60.