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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

Tasmanian distillery Sullivans Cove has taken out World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards in London, its fourth global title and a record in the competition’s history.

Independent Liquor Group (ILG) has opened a $28 million, purpose-built distribution centre in Swanbank, Queensland. It’s the group’s most significant infrastructure commitment to the state.

Last week’s Ambitious Australia report is exactly the kind of signal our nation needs. The federal government, industry and innovation minister, Tim Ayres, and everyone who has contributed to this work have put forward a clear and positive vision. It speaks to a more coordinated, better funded, and more purposeful innovation system.