William has held the new title of Prince of Wales for almost a month. For the first time in this function he is now giving a speech at a public event. It's about nature and species conservation, but also about his two deceased grandparents.
William has made his first public speech as Prince of Wales. The royal spoke at the United for Wildlife Global Summit in London. Animal and nature conservation has been a concern of the prince for many years. He was obviously influenced by his family.
In his speech, the 40-year-old remembered his deceased grandparents, Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II. "Our nature is one of our greatest assets," William is quoted as saying by "People" magazine, among others. "I learned this lesson from an early age, from my father and grandfather, who were both dedicated naturalists by their own accord, and also from my much missed grandmother, who was so committed to nature."
Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8 at the age of 96. "In times of loss, it is a comfort to honor those we miss through the work we do," said Prince William. "The progress we are making in tackling the illegal wildlife trade is a great comfort to me."
How much he cares about the topic is also clear in an Instagram post. A video of the event in London was shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales' account. The haunting words are: "There are still too many criminals who believe they can act with impunity. Too many lives are being destroyed. Too many species are threatened with extinction by this heinous crime."
William has been the Prince of Wales for almost a month. King Charles III had appointed his eldest son in his first address as monarch shortly after the Queen's death. William's wife Kate has since been Princess of Wales. Previously these titles were held by Charles and his late ex-wife, Princess Diana.
