Passionate about the environment, King Charles emphasized “shared responsibility” for the protection of nature, which he called “our most precious and irreplaceable asset.”
Charles said, “Even as we celebrate the beauty that surrounds us, our generation must decide how to address the collapse of vital natural systems, which threatens even more than just nature’s harmony and essential diversity.”
“We ignore at our peril the fact that these natural systems – in other words, nature’s own economy – provide the basis for our prosperity and our national security.”
Elsewhere in the speech, the King highlighted the importance of faith and interreligious dialogue in his daily life.
Charles received a standing ovation from some MPs when he called Christianity “a firm foundation and daily inspiration”, before adding that it “guides us not only as individuals, but as members of our community.”
He added, “Having devoted a large part of my life to inter-religious relations and broader understanding, it is the belief in the triumph of light over darkness that I have found confirmed countless times.”
He added: “I believe wholeheartedly that the essence of our two nations is to foster generosity of spirit and compassion, to promote peace, to deepen mutual understanding, and to value people of all religions and none.”