The Queen is installing solar panels at her Balmoral estate

The decision came after Her Majesty met a renewable energy engineer

Laura Hampson
Thursday 06 January 2022 09:43 GMT
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(Getty Images)

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The Queen has decided to install solar panels at her Balmoral estate in Scotland.

The decision came after she met with renewable energy engineer George Goudsmit, 80, at a function on the Isles of Scilly.

Goudsmit told The Times that he had a “20-second” conversation with the Queen who asked him what he did.

When he replied that he made solar panels, the Queen turned around and said: “Maybe I should have solar panels at Balmoral.”

Goudsmit, who is managing director of AES Solar, said it was soon after that his company was commissioned to install solar panels on a house on the Balmoral estate.

He added that there was talk about doing the same to Buckingham Palace but this talk “came to a halt” when the pandemic hit.

“Hopefully this will be something to discuss in the future now that we have already worked with the royal family,” he continued.

It’s not the first eco-friendly practice the Queen has put in place at her estates over the years.

Buckingham Palace has been making its own honey since four Italian honey bee hives were installed in the grounds between 2009 and 2010.

In May last year, Her Majesty also announced a new initiative asking the public to plant as many new trees as possible ahead of her Platinum Jubilee in June this year.

To kickstart the scheme, the Queen partnered with Woodland Trust which donated more then three million free saplings to community groups and schools across the UK.

The Queen is also known to keep an eye on her energy consumption, she denounced wearing real fur in 2019 and is a known fan of slow travel.

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