The Queen is wrong to interfere in politics – even if most people agree with her

It may seem innocent enough to chide world leaders on green issues, writes John Rentoul, but it is a short step from there to telling people that we know what’s best for them

Queen Elizabeth II made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the sixth session of the Welsh Senedd (PA)

Did she mean her comments to be made public? The Queen was talking to Elin Jones, the presiding officer of the Welsh parliament, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, at the opening ceremony for the Senedd in Cardiff, but was audible on the live stream of the event.

“We only know about people who are not coming” to the UN Cop 26 climate summit in Glasgow at the end of the month, she said. “It’s really irritating when they talk, but they don’t do.”

Grant Shapps, transport secretary and minister for the morning round of media interviews, said: “I don’t think her comments were for broadcast.” It certainly doesn’t look as deliberate as her intervention in the Scottish referendum campaign in 2014, when she stopped to talk to members of the public outside her church near Balmoral Castle and said: “I hope people will think very carefully about the future.”