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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

Welcome to the latest issue of Food & Drink Business, the first quarterly issue for 2026. We have an extensive look at the trends in driving consumer behaviour and the opportunities they create for manufacturers. Our cover story is on the partnership between Process Partners and Bulla to deliver a world-class ice cream plant. And there is so much more.

Almond processor Select Harvests has announced the resignation of CEO and managing director, David Surveyor, marking the end of a three-year tenure that saw the business return to profitability.

Australia has long been a major exporter of fresh produce, with its agricultural sector playing an important role in supplying global food markets. Lineage director business development, Christian Rossow, looks at why the infrastructure connecting producers to ports and global supply chains is just as vital as product quality.