The Observer reported that the queen is understood to have asked Blair's office to lobby the US after observing the alarming impact of Britain's changing weather on her estates at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, and Sandringham House in east England.

"There has been dialogue between Downing Street and Buckingham Palace on all issues relating to climate change including the US position and the latest science," said one of Britain's leading expert's on climate change, who spoke to the newspaper on condition of anonymity.

"She is very keen to get involved," he said.

"From her own observations on the climate she has become worried like the rest of us," he was quoted as saying. "She has made it clear she wants to raise the importance of the issue."

The United States, flying in the face of snowballing world opinion, said earlier this month it would not follow Russia's lead and ratify the Kyoto protocol on global warming.

The protocol requires industrialised signatories to trim output of six "greenhouse" gases by 2008-2012 compared with their 1990 levels.

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