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PRINCE CHARLES:

THE ROYAL DEBATE OVER GM FOOD


With Permission British Embassy

Who is Prince Charles:

The Prince vs. GM Food:

Bibliography:


Who is Prince Charles:

Born in November of 1948, Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor is the son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Charles attended the Gordonstoun School in Scotland, Trinity College in Cambridge, and the University College of Wales. During his education, Charles expressed interests in architecture, agriculture, and the Welsh language. As the Prince grew older, he also answered the call to serve his country as a pilot in the Royal Navy. In 1981, the Prince married the late Princess Diana. Charles occupies a precarious position in the royal heirarchy, and it remains uncertain whether or not he will be next in line for the British throne. Despite the fact that the title of King has yet to be bestowed upon him, Prince Charles has accumulated numerous other titles over the years including the Prince of Wales, Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Baron of Renfrew, and Lord of the Isles (Wikipedia 2004).

 

The Prince vs. GM Food:

The contemporary British royalty are known for their great many titles; however, they are not known for speaking out on political issues at least until now. As an avid organic farmer, Prince Charles devotes sizeable amounts of land on his country estates to this form of agriculture; therefore, when the issue of genetically modified food graced the public forum Charles naturally felt compelled to speak out on the subject (Hunter 2003). The Prince used his invitation to give a prestigious BBC Reith lecture as a platform from which to voice his opinion on GM food.

Charles' argument was deeply rooted in the supernatural, and he frequently appealed to the spirituality of his listeners in order to drive home his points. A spirituality evident in statements such as, "I happen to believe that this kind of genetic modification takes man into realms that belong to God and God alone" (Windsor 2000). He emphasized man's role in nature as a steward of the Earth in an overt reference to the Christian creation narrative in which God gives man dominion over the plants and animals of the Earth. Many of his arguments convey the idea that the genetic modification of food will only serve to upset the delicate balance or harmony of nature. Charles' reprimand of genetic modification also extended to the entire scientific community, which he attacked for going too far too fast. Charles also artfully summarized the fear that many have of genetic modification by saying that "treating our world as some 'great laboratory of life' could have potentially disastrous long term consequences"(Windsor 2000).

Conversely, he praised the merit of organic farming as a method which has withstood the test of time arguing that genetic modifiction is entirely unnecessary. In a later speech, Prince Charles even went so far as to call for a "GM-free Wales and a GM-free Britain as well" (Dube 2003), a call which some politicians feel should be best left to Parliament to make. If nothing else, it seems that Prince Charles sought to use his voice as a means to caution his fellow man before he sets forth into the realm of the unknown.

 

Bibliography:

Dube, Steve. "Prince Charles Calls for a GM Free Britain." The Western Mail on the Web 30 Jul 2003. 21 Jan 2004 <http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/content_objectid=13234707_method=full_siteid=50082_headline=-Make%2DBritain%2DGM%2Dfree%2D%2Dsays%2DCharles-name_page.html>.

Hunter, Philip. "The Prince, the Professor, and the Pea (GM Pea, that is)." The Scientist 24 March 2003. 20 Jan 2004 <http://www.agbioworld.org/biotech_info/articles/princecharles.html>.

Windsor, Charles. "A Royal View." BBC Reith Lectures on the Web 2000. 20 Jan 2004 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/events/reith_2000/>.

"Charles, Prince of Wales." Wikipedia. 15 Jan 2004. 20 Jan 2004 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles,_Prince_of_Wales>.

Union Jack image. Kungshogsskolan. 21 Jan 2004 <http://www.infocenter.org/skolor/kungshoeg/union-jack.gif>.


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