GLASGOW, Scotland — Queen Elizabeth II appealed to world leaders to engage in “true statesmanship” and work together at a landmark climate conference in Glasgow as “the time for words has now moved to the time for action.”
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In a video address played at an evening reception for presidents and prime ministers, the monarch said that she hoped that the eco-summit would be “one of those rare occasions where everyone will have the chance to rise above the politics of the moment and achieve true statesmanship.”
She said she hoped the legacy of COP26, the United Nations climate summit, would be that leaders, when they leave the summit, will do so with “a determination, a desire, and a plan, to address the impact of climate change.”
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The speech was prerecorded at Windsor Castle, where she currently lives, Friday afternoon.
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The 95-year-old monarch had planned to be at the reception in Scotland, but the palace said last week that she wouldn’t attend in person after she was ordered to rest by doctors.
Her physical absence at the event was a “blow for U.K. ambitions to bring some of her lustre to the global stage,” the BBC said. The queen doesn’t have political power, but she is an experienced diplomat. She referenced her long reign in her speech, saying that “for more than 70 years, I have been lucky to meet and to know many of the world’s great leaders, and I have perhaps come to understand a little about what made them special.” She also has experience in helping to pull off major events: She arguably stole the show during the Opening Ceremonies at the 2012 Olympics in London when she teamed up with actor Daniel Craig for a James Bond-inspired skit.
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The palace has not offered any details about her health other than to say she spent a recent night in a hospital for “preliminary investigations.” Since then, she has canceled three events, something she rarely does, although she has carried out a number of meetings via video.
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She was photographed Monday behind the wheel of a green Jaguar near Windsor Castle. She was wearing a headscarf and sunglasses. The BBC said that she is known to drive her Corgi dogs out for nearby walks.
In her address to world leaders attending COP26, the queen paid tribute to “my dear late husband,” Prince Philip, and quoted from a speech he gave in 1969 when he spoke of concerns about pollution levels. She also singled out her son, Prince Charles, who addressed world leaders Monday, and her grandson, Prince William, who is at the summit with some of the finalists from his Earthshot prize.
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“I could not be more proud of them,” she said.
The queen referenced young activists in her speech, saying, “I have drawn great comfort and inspiration from the relentless enthusiasm of people of all ages — especially the young — in calling for everyone to play their part.”
“None of us will live forever,” she said. “But we are doing this not for ourselves but for our children and our children’s children, and those who will follow in their footsteps.”