Stéphane Place (in London), edited by Laura Laplaud 7:23 a.m., September 25, 2022, modified at 7:23 a.m., September 25, 2022

Renewable energies and the environment are a very important topic in the eyes of the new king of the British.

So much so that Charles III's old Aston Martin runs on bioethanol made from wine and whey.

Beyond this anecdote, can the convictions of the new monarch really influence the United Kingdom?

One of the themes on which the now king has never dried up is ecology.

The prince was 21, his hair neatly brushed, when he gave his first speech on the subject.

But behind the tirades, is the new king of England really green?

And above all, can his convictions on the environment have a positive impact on the United Kingdom?

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"The monarchy is supposed to be politically neutral"

The son of Elizabeth II defends organic, only eats meat on certain days, publishes his own annual carbon footprint.

But from there to imagining that the sovereign will influence the orientations of the kingdom to accelerate the ecological transition, Simon, engaged in politics and fervent defender of the environment, does not believe in it much.

"Personally, I don't think Charles III will be able to make an effective environmental contribution as King of England. He has long been an advocate for environmental issues but the monarchy in the UK is supposed to be politically neutral. So he will surely find it difficult to alert on climate issues", he explains.

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"Charles is the figurehead of an outdated institution"

A young environmental activist, Mary does not see Charles III as a modern king, capable of questioning the system which, she says, "has damaged nature so much".

"I don't really believe in Charles from an environmental point of view. To me, Charles is the figurehead of an antiquated institution, rooted in colonialism, which does far more harm by existing than good."

Charles III, the king who talks to plants, begins his reign with a government that does not rule out resorting to the very polluting extraction of gas and oil from shale.