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It all started when the Queen agreed to work alongside fellow 91-year-old Sir David Attenborough on a conservation documentary dealing with wildlife in the Commonwealth.

She became personally interested in the damage to oceans caused by dumped plastic.

One thing led to another, and the Queen has now declared war on plastic, banning straws and bottles from the Royal estates.

Buckingham Palace has outlined new waste plans, which will include gradually phasing out plastic straws and bottles in public cafes and banning them altogether in staff dining rooms.

Internal caterers at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh will now only be allowed to use china plates and glasses, or recyclable paper cups.

Takeaway food items in the Royal Collection cafes must also now be made of compostable or biodegradable packaging.

As well as the Queen’s interest, The Prince of Wales also regularly speaks about the damage to the oceans caused by dumped plastic and recently warned that the world was facing an "escalating ecological and human disaster" from refuse in the seas.

Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing a 10-year refurbishment program which will make the royal residence far more green, The Telegraph reported.

Food & Drink Business

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has completed the Australian leg of the 2026 Australia-China Winemaker Immersion Program, an intensive three-week exchange program across South Australia’s wine regions including McLaren Vale, the Barossa Valley, and the Adelaide Hills.

Australia’s largest privately owned feedlot company, Mort & Co, will list its remaining assets on the market this week, after putting its Pinegrove and Yarranbrook feedlots up for sale last October.

Seedlab Australia has completed its 13th Bootcamp round, with the latest cohort dominated by brands targeting the complexity of feeding modern family households, including products designed around allergen management, fussy eating, and lunchbox nutrition.