King Charles felt the full force of Britain's record-breaking June heatwave, needing an aide to fan him during an engagement. He was at an environmental reception at St James’s Palace, where delegates from politics, science, and business convened in stifling conditions.
Wednesday saw the UK’s hottest June day on record, with a provisional 35.7C breaking the 1976 record, later surpassed by 35.8C. Master of the Household, retired Vice Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt, held a small electric fan near the King as he chatted to guests, providing some relief from the intense heat.
The historic building does not have air conditioning, and large fans were dotted around the rooms where guests could view stands showcasing green initiatives, and dozens of traditional hand-held fans were given to those attending.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband spoke at the event, taking place during London Climate Action Week, and began by making “safety announcements”, telling guests a nurse was available if needed and there was a quieter room for those affected by the heat.
He added: “The very fact that we have to do that here in the UK in June says quite a lot about the circumstances that we are in.”
Some of those attending moped the sweat from their brows, and many fanned their faces as, with the windows closed and curtains drawn against the heat, there was little moving air in the room.
The gathering was aimed at accelerating momentum on super-pollutant action and was hosted by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, with speakers including Mia Mottley, the prime minister of Barbados, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Mr Miliband added: “First, as I said at the outset, here we are in London on a 35C day. This didn’t used to be normal, but unfortunately it is now the new normal, and we know that reducing methane emissions and other super-pollutants is one of the best things we can do to act on the climate crisis.
“We know we have to, because we know this is at best the new normal and at worst the coolest summers we’re going to have in the future, and that is a very chastening thought.”
The UK became co-chair of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition alongside Brazil in March 2024, a partnership of more than 200 governments, NGOs, and international organisations focused on reducing super-pollutants including methane, black carbon, nitrous oxide, and tropospheric ozone.
The Energy Secretary added: “The issue of methane is it is about climate, but it’s also about cleaner air, about energy security, about food security, about public health, and in particular about helping address the silent killer of air pollution.”
During his time at the event, the King viewed the displays which highlighted the impact of super-pollutants and heard about the actions being taken to combat them by organisations ranging from the Clean Air Task Force, Clean Air Fund to the Wellcome Trust.
