Prince William says George, 7, 'really feels' weight of climate change and they had to 'turn Attenborough film off'

'He’s seven years old and he’s asking me these questions already'
Emily Lawford8 October 2020

Seven-year-old Prince George was left so upset by Sir David Attenborough's documentary about extinction that they had to turn it off halfway through, Prince William has revealed.

The Duke of Cambridge, who said he was “struggling to keep the optimism levels going” with his children, said his son told him: “I don’t want to watch this any more.”

In an interview to mark the launch of his environmental Earthshot Prize , William said his children were fans of Sir David’s natural world documentaries, but said a recent one was too bleak for George.

He said: “The most recent one – the extinction one – actually George and I had to turn it off, we got so sad about it halfway through. He said to me ‘you know I don’t want to watch this any more’.

Prince William and Sir David Attenborough disicuss the Earthshot Prize at Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace via AP

“Why has it come to this and you know he’s seven years old and he’s asking me these questions already, he really feels it, and I think every seven-year-old out there can relate to that.”

William told Sky News he believed governments should show the same commitment towards saving the natural world as they have shown to tackling coronavirus, adding: “We found over £190 billion worth to fix and help the recovery through Covid. We can do the same for the environment.”

When asked whether he tried to bring optimism into climate discussions with his family, the duke replied: “I think to be perfectly honest I’m struggling to keep the optimism levels going with my own children, and that’s really kind of like… an understanding moment.

The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Louis watch as Prince George holds the tooth of a giant shark given to him by Sir David Attenborough in the gardens of Kensington Palace
PA

“Where you kind of look at yourself and go ‘am I doing enough on this, are we really at this stage in life when I can’t be hugely optimistic and pleased that my children are getting so into nature’.

“Because you kind of worry and dread they’re soon going to realise that we are in a very, very dangerous and difficult time in the environment and that as a parent, you feel you’re letting them down immediately.”

George and his five-year-old sister, Princess Charlotte, and two-year-old brother, Prince Louis, quizzed 94-year-old Sir David in a video recorded at Kensington Palace in August.

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis quizzed Sir David Attenborough in a video at Kensington Palace
Twitter/@KensingtonRoyal

William’s eldest son asked Sir David which animal he thinks will become extinct next.

The broadcaster, who recently gifted George a fossilised giant shark’s tooth, told him: “Well let’s hope there won’t be any, because there are a lot of things we can do when animals are in danger of extinction. We can protect them.”

William’s Nobel-style Earthshot Prize has a £50 million prize fund, and aims to recognise ideas and technologies that can safeguard the planet.

Starting in 2021, each year until the end of the decade winners in five categories will each receive £1 million after being picked by a judging panel of William and leading figures.

Additional reporting by PA media

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