It’s rare for the Cambridges to mix business with pleasure, but when it came to meeting a world famous conservationist, Prince William and Kate couldn’t resist.
After a private outdoor viewing of Sir David Attenborough’s new film A Life On Our Planet at Kensington Palace last week, William arranged for Kate and their three children to meet the world-famous naturalist and much-loved national treasure.
Clutching a copy of the wildlife expert’s new book, William seemed thrilled for his children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis to meet the 94-year-old, who is the same age as the Queen, whom he has met many times. The Queen granted Sir David a CBE for his work in 1974 before knighting him 1985 for his extraordinary work showcasing the natural world.
During last week’s meeting Sir David gave Prince George a tooth from a giant shark, which the seven-year-old Prince examined closely. Sir David explained to the curious young royal that the scientific name of the tooth is carcharocles megalodon (‘big tooth’). Sir David found it on a family holiday to Malta in the late 1960s, embedded in the island’s soft yellow limestone, which was laid down during the Miocene period some 23 million years ago.
The film, which will premiere in cinemas on Monday before launching on Netflix October 4, is Attenborough’s most personal project to date, described as his witness statement for the natural world. In the film he presents some of the most defining moments of his career as a naturalist and the devastating changes he has seen.
Sir David and the William have been firm friends ever since they appeared together in conversation at Davos in 2019, where they addressed the scale and urgency of the climate crisis. With a shared passion for protecting the natural world, they continue to support one another in their missions to tackle some of the biggest environmental challenges our planet faces. This includes working together on the Duke’s new Earthshot Prize.
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