The Queen has given the royal seal approval to attempts to reduce single-use plastics, banning straws and bottles from her Royal estates.
The new measures outlined by Buckingham Palace will include phasing out the use of plastic straws in the Royal Collection cafes, banning them entirely in staff dining rooms, and using biodegradable packaging along with china plates, glasses or recyclable cartons. These new rules be followed by royal employees at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
‘Across the organisation, the Royal Household is committed to reducing its environmental impact,’ a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said. ‘As part of that, we have taken a number of practical steps to cut back on the use of plastics. At all levels, there’s a strong desire to tackle this issue.’
Members of staff will also receive a regular ‘green’ newsletter with updates on the progress of the new initiative.
Kate Middleton Style - Best Dresses & Outfits
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Kate Middleton at the mens singles final of the Wimbledon Championships - July 6, 2014
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Kate Middleton visits an M-PACT Plus Counselling programme - July 1, 2014
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Kate Middleton at the ANZAC Day commemorative service - April 25, 2014
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Kate Middleton at a service during the D-Day 70 Commemorations - June 6, 2014
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Kate Middleton during an official visit to Bletchley Park - June 18, 2014
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Kate Middleton and Prince George of Cambridge at the Royal Charity Polo - June 15, 2014
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Kate Middleton at the Ben Ainslie Racing America's Cup Launch Event - June 10, 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge wearing Jonathan Saunders in Scotland - 29th May 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Hobbs at Ayers Rock - 22 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Lela Rose in Canberra - 24 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Alexander McQueen at Adelaide - 23 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Catherine Walker in Canberra - 24 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge at Taronga Zoo in Sydney - 20 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Roksanda Ilincic in Uluru - 22 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Zimmerman at Manley Beach - 20 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Alexander McQueen at Easter service, Ausralia - 20 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in L.K. Bennett at Amberley Air Base - 19 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Christchurch, New Zealand - 14 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Roksanda Ilincic arriving in Sydney, Australia - 16 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Rebecca Taylor leaving New Zealand - 16 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Diane Von Furstenberg in Blue Mountains, Australia - 17 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Zara wine tasting in New Zealand - 13 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Jonathan Saunders at rugby in Dunedin, New Zealand - 13 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Erdem at Avanti Drome in Hamilton, New Zealand - 12 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Emilia Wickstead at Dunedin - 13 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Zara and J Brand at Auckland harbour, New Zealand - 11 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Jenny Packham at State Dinner, New Zealand - 10 April 2014
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The Duchess of Cambridge in Tory Burch in Wellington, New Zealand - 9 April 2014
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Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge visit the Valero Pembroke Refinery, Pembrokeshire, Wales, Britain - 08 Nov 2014
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Catherine Duchess of Cambridge visits SportsAid event, London, Britain - 12 Nov 2014
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Royal Variety Performance, London Palladium, Britain - 13 Nov 2014
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Place2Be Wellbeing in Schools Award, Kensington Palace, London, Britain - 19 Nov 2014
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EACH Hospices Appeal Launch at The Norwich Showground, Norfolk, Britain - 25 Nov 2014
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Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William visit to New York, America - 07 Dec 2014
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New York, America - 08 Dec 2014
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Catherine Duchess of Cambridge at the Brooklyn Nets v Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA Basketball match - 08 Dec 2014
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Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge visit to New York, America - 09 Dec 2014
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St. Andrews 600th Anniversary Dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art- 09 Dec 2014
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Christmas Day Service - 25 Dec 2014
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Catherine Duchess of Cambridge officially names The Clore Art Room at Barlby Primary School, London, Britain - 15 Jan 2015
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Duchess of Cambridge visits The Fostering Network, Highbury, London, Britain - 16 Jan 2015
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Duchess of Cambridge formally opens Kensington Aldridge Academy, London, Britain - 19 Jan 2015
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Duchess of Cambridge visits the home of Ben Ainslie Racing and the 1851 Trust, Portsmouth, Britain - 12 Feb 2015
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Duchess of Cambridge visit to Staffordshire, Britain - 18 Feb 2015
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Commonwealth Day Observance, Westminster Abbey, London, Britain - 09 Mar 2015
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Duchess of Cambridge Margate 11 Mar 2015
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Service of Commemoration to Mark the End of Combat Operations in Afghanistan, St Paul's Cathedral, London, Britain - 13 Mar 2015
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St Patrick's Day Parade, Aldershot Barracks, Hampshire, Britain - 17 Mar 2015
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Brookhill Children's Centre 18 Mar 2015
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Royal baby girl born at the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital, London, Britain - 02 May 2015
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Anna Freud Centre, London, Britain - 17 Sep 2015
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HMP Send, Woking, Surrey, Britain - 25 Sep 2015
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Harrow College, London, Britain - 10 Oct 2015
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Chinese President Xi Jinping State Visit to London, Britain - 21 Oct 2015
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Dundee, Scotland, Britain - 23 Oct 2015
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James Bond 'Spectre' CTBF film premiere, Royal Albert Hall, London, Britain - 26 Oct 2015
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Islington Town Hall, London, Britain - 27 Oct 2015.
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100 Women in Hedge Funds gala dinner, London, Britain - 27 Oct 2015
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Fostering Network Awards, BMA House, London, Britain - 17 Nov 2015
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Wales, Britain - 20 Nov 2015
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Action on Addiction,Warminster, Wiltshire - 10 Dec 2015
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The Anna Freud Centre, London, Britain - 15 Dec 2015
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Sandringham Christmas Service - 25 Dec 2015
It’s believed that the Queen took a personal interest in the project after discussing the problem of single-use plastics and their environmental implications with David Attenborough, when the pair collaborated for a documentary about wildlife in the Commonwealth.
The special programme, which is set to air later this year, focused on the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy project, which connects conservation projects across the 52 member states of the Commonwealth. In a clip released by ITV, the Queen and Attenborough shared jokes as they discussed the project’s future impact.
Commenting on the Palace’s decision, Friends of the Earth’s Julian Kirby said: ‘Blue Planet’s reach now extends to the Royal households which shows how much momentum is building behind the war on plastic pollution.’
‘From small-holdings to Sandringham, everyone is sick of this problem and wants it fixed. Ultimate responsibility remains with manufacturers and government to stop this senseless harm to our environment, with its resultant devastation to wildlife.’