Jaguar Does Double Duty for British Symbolism This Week

Jaguars made news in Great Britain in two symbolic ways this week. First, Prince Charles issued an emissions report on his royal household accounts that included the proud disclosure that his personal Jaguar and Land Rover run on 100 percent biodiesel made of used cooking oil. Then the transfer of power from outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair to his successor, Gordon Brown, was symbolized by Brown's arrival at the official residence in a Vauxhall Omega and departure in a bulletproof Jaguar.

The cooking-oil-fueled Jaguar may be a tiny change for someone who made three overseas trips last year and carried out 632 official engagements. Nevertheless, the prince's household reduced its carbon emissions by 9 percent last year, according to the official financial statement released this past week. Among other changes, the 130 private and official employees of the sovereign-in-waiting are being encouraged to ride bicycles on short trips around London, the Times reported.

Meanwhile, at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, the outgoing prime minister, Tony Blair, left his ceremonial armored Jaguar behind after he officially turned over the reins in an audience with Queen Elizabeth II. His successor, Gordon Brown, arrived in a red Vauxhall Omega and left as prime minister about an hour later and — "as a sign that it's official," said the Daily Telegraph — climbed into the official Jaguar to head to No. 10 Downing Street.