Liz Truss 'advises King Charles to stay away from the Cop27 climate change summit'
King Charles has ditched plans to attend a major climate change summit next month after Liz Truss advised him to stay away, it was claimed last night. The new King, a veteran environmental campaigner, reportedly scrapped plans to speak at the COP27 meeting in Egypt after the Prime Minister objected. Last night, Buckingham Palace sources confirmed that Charles was no longer attending the event which he had planned to when he was Prince of Wales. But the sources insisted he had not been ordered to stay away by the PM and stressed instead that he had sought the advice of No 10. They said the decision for the King not to attend had been unanimous. They also suggested that this was the first sign of Charles embracing his new role as King, after he indicated that he would step back from much of his campaigning work now that he was the sovereign. A source said: There is no suggestion of any row. Whether members of the Royal Family attend or not is up to the Foreign Office. Last night, Downing Street said: We do not comment on private meetings between HM The King and the PM. Sources dismissed suggestions that Ms Truss had told the King not to attend, saying the Palace and the Government agreed jointly there might be more suitable options for Charless first State visit, adding: The idea that the PM can order the King what to do is ridiculous. However, The Sunday Times reported that Ms Truss had objected to him taking part in the Sharm- el-Sheik gathering during a personal audience last month. The report said there had not been a row but quoted a senior Royal source that the decision was made on the Governments advice and was entirely in the spirit of being ever-mindful as King that he acts on Government advice. The source said: He had to think very carefully about what steps to take for his first overseas tour and he is not going to be attending COP. Charles was reportedly still determined to make his influence felt at the summit. A senior Royal insider said: Just because he is not in physical attendance, that doesnt mean His Majesty wont find other ways to support it. Another source said: The Queen gave an entirely non-political address at COP last year... it sounds like he is not being given the choice. That is an error of judgment on the part of the Government. It was not clear last night if Prince William would attend instead.