With the coronation of His Majesty King Charles just over a week away, I am thrilled to be attending the event itself. It is an enormous honour to be representing Brecon and Radnorshire on such a historic day for our country.
By a strange quirk of fate, my first job, just after leaving university, was as a researcher to The Prince of Wales in Clarence House. I was responsible for supporting HRH’s work on the natural environment and environmental sustainability. Even in 2009, he did not get the credit he so richly deserves for everything he has done to raise our awareness of climate change and biodiversity decline. Throughout his time as Prince of Wales, he was prepared to say the uncomfortable things which society needed to hear. He prompted global business leaders to act, encouraging companies to embed sustainability in their business models. HRH showed the way with his organic farm in Gloucestershire and championed hundreds of traditional causes which needed a voice – such as the Red Squirrel Survival Trust or the British Horse Loggers. It was an amazing four years working for him and I am so delighted to see the wonderful start he has made to his reign.
After the success of last year’s Platinum Jubilee, it’s fantastic to see another huge programme of local events marking the coronation. Earlier this year, I wrote to schools and community groups to highlight the scrapbook of coronation souvenirs which I’m collecting from Brecon and Radnorshire and taking to Buckingham Palace later this year. Since then, my office has been inundated with pictures and poems celebrating the event. There’s still time to include your tribute in the book. Please send anything you would like to include in the book to either my office in Llandrindod Wells or to the Conservative Association office in Lion Yard, Brecon.
