King Charles

Edttor: I don’t believe in inherited privilege but I do respect the former Prince of Wales’ work, some of which I’ve recorded though the years. In the 1990s I was a member of his Urban Villages Forum (see one publication)  until it was taken over by developers, who also triumphed in the redevelopment of the Jewellery Quarter (Birmingham), from which he then withdrew. I have seen the effect of the Princes Trust on the young and mature alike.

These extracts were found in my files.

2003

A Norwegian accolade: In the Oslo office of Allgrønn – an independent forum for cultural projects, site development and architecture – a member found the books “Urban Villages” and “A Vision of Britain”, centred on the important work of the Urban Villages Group which was initiated by HRH The Prince of Wales. Allgrønn’s spokesman, Erling Okkenhaug, travelled to London to give the Ondurdis prize to Charmian Marshall of The Urban Villages Forum.

2008

Prince Charles’ address to the Soil Association (widely criticised at the time) opened: “I share the growing concern about the possible consequences of the commercial introduction of genetically modified crops to this country, and very much welcome the Soil Association’s decision to draw attention to the issue”. Summarised in the Guardian. I have the full text but can find no link online.

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Prince Charles warns that the earth faces a catastrophe because of the investment by multinational firms in GM crops – which he describes as “a gigantic experiment that has gone seriously wrong”. . . Ends:

Ironically, anyone who wants to be absolutely sure of eating GM-free food should dine at Monsanto’s staff café at its British HQ. Its caterers are reported to have taken all GM-food products off the menu because of customer concerns . . .

Prince Charles: Iraq War Was ‘Big Mistake’  (Sky News link broken, so another has been substituted. Documents, including messages to then PM Tony Blair, released years later, revealed that Prince Charles was so opposed to the war in Iraq that he broke royal tradition and campaigned against the military operation.

A RIGHT ROYAL ROW
Stirrer link not maintained
http://www.thestirrer.co.uk/january09/a-right-royal-row-120110.html

Prince Charles has been speaking up again recently for organic farming, much to the consternation of the traditional agribusiness lobby – represented by government advisor and former Northern Foods boss Lord Haskins.

Centuries ago troublesome barons beset British royals and now Baron Haskins of Skidby (chairman of Northern Foods, committed to the large-scale provision of a uniform standardised product, easy to process and package, using cheap imported food to keep costs down) rides into the lists.

Hilary Wilson, Cumbrian hill farmer wrote, by email, to say she was sorry that Lord Haskins had chosen to denigrate the sincere efforts of Prince Charles and with him, by implication, all those both within and without the organic movement who seek a more ethical and gentle way of farming.

2011

Developed by the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment, the Natural House has been constructed with natural materials such as thermoplan clay blocks,  lime plaster and sheep’s wool for insulation at the Building Research Establishment’s Innovation Park in Watford. The house also has a heavily insulated roof, walls and floor made in part from wool fibres and hemp, and will significantly reduce heating bills. The designers claim an inhabitant could live here without any central heating – instead relying on a single wooden stove. Read more here.

2014

Middleport Pottery in Stoke

A sale and leaseback agreement with The Prince’s Regeneration Trust, which rescues and regenerates redundant buildings of historic and architectural importance, has saved it from closure. About £9m has been spent on restoring the Middleport factory and from July 1st, visitors will be able to step inside the industrial bottle kiln to see how the clay is formed, fired and decorated.
Middleport is the only factory left that still uses the 19th-century underglaze transfer printing method, which depends upon hand-engraving the patterns on to rollers. Under the brand name Burleigh, it is still making the famous Asiatic Pheasants, the Blue Calico and the Black Willow patterns, as well as the traditional plain cream moulds and kitchenware.
the current interest in this craft has led to a number of small craft-based potteries moving into the area, probably the most famous being Emma Bridgewater, which employs about 250 people with an annual turnover of about £14m.

2017

Update: https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/royal-visit-prince-charles-gives-846865video

2022
Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World

The book’s publisher, Harper Collins, sees this intelligent, practical, and well-reasoned guide as an indispensable weapon in the battle to save our planet. See https://chsandsachetan.wordpress.com/2022/11/03/harmony-a-new-way-of-looking-at-our-world-the-prince-of-wales/

When Charles asked the US environmental leaders to come to London to discuss rainforest and biodiversity issues, every single one of us came away impressed with his intellect, his easy-going manner, and his deep commitment to saving the beauty, diversity and life of the planet. The symbol of the King matters and the crown is now worn by a man of substance. That character trait will not change. ( FT: Jan Hartke Reston, VA, US)

His recent Tribune article about Britain’s King Charles, reminds Devinder Sharma of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej who is fondly remembered

In many ways I find that Britain’s King Charles too shares a legacy that can catapult him to be at the centre of attraction. The world is in need of some sane voices that can shift the focus to sustainability. Besides environment, surely he needs to focus on the economic downturn that has led to worsening inequality.

Not getting into any political conflict, I am sure the new King can easily carve out a new role for the monarchy — to provide hope at times of growing disenchantment.

Updating the 2014 account of the Dumfries House project, regenerating the local economy

In 2007 the Prince of Wales mobilised a consortium of charities and heritage bodies, adding £20 million mortgaged from his foundation, to buy Dumfries House and the collection of Chippendale furniture created especially for it, for the nation.

It is now employing and training many young people who come from families with three generations of unemployed. They usually progress from apprenticeships to full-time employment.

An engineering centre has been created to revive skills in an industry considered vital to the country, counteracting the prevailing view in education that engineering is dirty and manufacturing ‘dead and gone’.

An outdoors centre; a cookery school; mill, woodyard, cookshop and training allotments and vegetable gardens (below) have been set up – a comprehensive business, social and environmental approach designed to kick-start regeneration in impoverished East Ayrshire, where mining communities once flourished.

The FT editorial, Britain enters the era of King Charles III. records that King Charles spoke of his respect for the country’s traditions and “system of parliamentary government”. Yet on climate change and sustainability, his years of advocacy on issues that transcend party or national politics give him, if used with discretion, real moral authority.

 

 

 

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