Last week, Jane Goodall gave the rest of us a little insight into how Prince Harry is doing now that he’s officially left his role as a royal. It proved that that, in addition to her knowledge of primates, she is also a close friend of the prince who, along with his wife Meghan Markle, has a passion for conservation and animal rights. Goodall’s friendship with the couple dates back to last year, when she visited them at their Windsor home for an interview that later appeared in British Vogue. Now, in an exclusive clip from Jane Goodall: The Hope, a new special on National Geographic that collects photographs and footage from over seven decades of the famed naturalist’s life, you can see just how close the pair really are.
At a July 2019 meeting, Harry spoke to students about their ideas about how we can solve a variety of environmental problems. After he spoke to the students about his passion, Goodall reminded him of something she taught him at their last meeting. “Do you remember the chimpanzee greeting?” she asked.
Harry hesitated. “Ah, vaguely,” he replied, before Goodall led him in an adorable embrace.
Goodall also spoke about her motivation for founding Roots & Shoots, which connects youth around the world who are passionate about the environment, in 1991. “It began because I was meeting so many young people and they didn’t seem to have much hope in the future. They said because you—the older generations—have compromised our future and there’s nothing we can do about it,” she said. “I don’t think it’s true that there’s nothing we can do about it. Collectively, if we make wise choices, we can make a difference.”
“Jane, if I may, I also agree that young people have the power, the compassion, and the tools to save our planet,” Harry added when he addressed the crowd.
The clip was filmed last summer, while Harry was still a representative of Queen Elizabeth, but his passion for the queen’s words is strong enough that it’s clear he’ll be able to carry on her spirit. He told the students, “As my grandmother, the queen, once said, ‘Sometimes the world’s problems are so big, we think we can do little to help. On our own we cannot end wars or wipe out injustice. But the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagined. Change begins with you.’”
Jane Goodall: The Hope premieres on National Geographic on April 22, at 9 p.m. ET.
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