See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy REBECCA ENGLISH, ROYAL EDITOR Published: 23:52 BST, 26 June 2026 | Updated: 00:20 BST, 27 June 2026
He's long been known as a champion of green credentials.And there is no mistaking who these new electric vehicle chargers belong to.Clad in livery green with the monarch's cypher - a crown above the letters CR, which stand for Charles Rex (Latin for King) - they have been recently installed in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace as part of His Majesty's attempts to move towards a majority electric vehicle fleet.Distinctive yet discreet, they form part of a number of measures King Charles has introduced across the royal estate in a bid to make it more sustainable.Keeper of the Privy Purse James Chalmers revealed details of the roll out this week as he outlined some of the palace's green moves as part of the annual Sovereign Grant review.These include installing sustainable aviation fuel tanks at RAF Odiham and RAF Northolt to enable increased use of more eco-friendly fuel on royal flights, particularly on helicopters.But it is the installation of the 'Pod Point' electric vehicle charging points that are the most eye-catching.Mr Chalmers said the charging points, which have been installed across the royal estate including Windsor and Sandringham but most notably in the forecourt at the front of Buckingham Palace, were a 'major move' towards fully electrifying the royal fleet.King Charles has had new EV chargers installed at Buckingham Palace - complete with his cypher The King has made the move as part of attempts to move towards a majority electric vehicle fleet.The King is something of a pioneer when it comes to modernising royal vehicles.As Prince of Wales he converted his old Aston Martin to run on Bioethanol made from recycled cheese and wine.He was also the first member of the Royal family to get an electric vehicle when he was Prince of Wales, personally leasing a Jaguar I-Pace and having it resprayed in his favourite 'Loire Blue' and installing a fast charger at Clarence House.When asked about it he joked that the vehicle was 'silent but deadly'.And in January he was spotted at Sandringham in his latest EV - a swish Lotus Eletre.The King's moves to electrify the royal household's motor fleet have helped to contribute to a reduction of six per cent on the household's year-on-year overall carbon emissions - with a zero carbon emissions target of 2040.There might be one slightly tougher challenge, however, the two historic State Bentleys, which given their size and specifications - including armour plating - may be difficult to replace with something electric.However they have both now been converted to run from bioethanol fuel.Across the wider official royal fleet at least half of the vehicles are now electric, hybrid or biofuel.Meanwhile in the light of the news this week that the King and Queen will never move back into Buckingham Palace despite the £369 million refit of the sovereign's official royal residence, sources have insisted the building will remain the 'beating heart' of the monarchy. The King's £160,000 electric Lotus Eletre EV which he uses for countryside duties at the Sandringham Estate'It just won't be where he lays his head,' a senior royal aide remarked of the revelation that Their Majesties will continue to base themselves at Clarence House.Officials have moved to reassure those who have expressed concern that the heart and soul of the building, which has been an occupied royal palace since Queen Victoria moved in 189 years ago, will be lost.They insist it will remain 'Monarchy HQ', hosting all meetings and entertaining, as well as the administrative hub of the operation.In a boost for the King, a snap YouGov survey showed that 66 per cent of the British public supports the King's decision not to live at Buckingham Palace.Two thirds of those polled said they agreed, while only 10 per cent opposed it and 24 per cent said they didn't know.
