After all Charles's doom-mongering... Camilla says climate change will make British wine better during event celebrating the industry 

  • The Duchess of Cornwall hosted an event for the British wine industry 
  • She admitted climate change could be beneficial to the quality of British wine 
  • The Duchess is president of the United Kingdom Vineyard Association
  • She hosted the event for the UKVA's 50th anniversary at Clarence House 

By Rebecca English for the Daily Mail

Published: 19:57 EST, 25 January 2017 | Updated: 20:00 EST, 25 January 2017

The Duchess of Cornwall, pictured, admitted climate change could improve the quality of British wine at a ceremony yesterday

The Duchess of Cornwall could find herself on a collision course with her eco tub-thumping husband after apparently highlighting a potential benefit of global warming.

Camilla was speaking at an event to celebrate the British wine growing industry when she strayed into the thorny issue of climate change, one of the issues closest to Prince Charles' heart.

Indeed the 69-year-old royal indicated that when it came to wine at least, there are those who might not think it such a bad thing.

Praising the vision of the first British winegrowers to plant vines half a century ago, she said: 'We don't exactly have the climate, or we didn't then.

'I expect with global warming it's going to get better and better and we are going to get better and better wine.' The Duchess's made her comments at a reception at Clarence House marking the 50th anniversary of the UK Vineyard Association.

Camilla, whose father was a wine merchant, is president of the UKVA.

Charles is so passionate about the subject of climate change that he has just co-authored a Ladybird book warning of the dangers.

In the foreword to the Ladybird book, written with Tony Juniper and Emily Shuckburgh, he says that climate change was the 'wolf at the door' and action by world leaders 'must be urgently scaled up, and scaled up now'.

He even recently suggested that weather forecasters should be made to give climate change warnings alongside their traditional broadcasts.

Camilla, who unlike many other royals, including her husband, can often be seen with a glass of red in her hand at official functions, also told her audience about her love of the tipple started an an early age, She said: 'People always ask me how I became involved in it all.

'Well, first of all I love wine. But secondly my father was in the wine business, so I was brought up as a child drinking wine and water rather like the French.' She also poured cold water on the proposal that British sparkling wine should be marketed as British fizz.

She was speaking at a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the UK vineyard association

Camilla can often be seen at receptions - unlike other royals - with a glass of red wine in hand

Camilla told guests: 'First of all, I love wine. But secondly my father was in the wine business.'

The UKVA is applying for official international recognition for the name.

It is seeking protected geographical indication (PGI) for the term.

This would mean that only winemakers using UK-grown grapes and the traditional bottle fermentation method could use the term British Fizz.

'I'm not sure about it... [the name],' she said.

'I just feel champagne is such a good name. We don't want to let the French beat us with a better name.

'I think everybody ought to get back to having another little think about it.

' I think to myself, I do quite often think I've got a really good name, Then when I wake up in the morning I've forgotten it.' Ends ' I think to myself, I do quite often think I've got a really good name, Then when I wake up in the morning I've forgotten it.'  

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