Turns out that Prince William isn’t the only royal in the family to keep an eye on when it comes to environmental messaging. In case you’re just tuning in, the Prince, 39, has spent the week leading up to the announcement of his inaugural Earthshot Prize—which will award five winners every year until 2030 with a prize of one million pounds for innovations to combat climate change—calling attention to the cause.
And during an interview with Prince William for BBC Newscast for BBC Sounds this week, the royal also discussed how his family demonstrates the need for more environmentally focused initiatives. He told a story about Prince George, who was picking up trash as part of his school day—and who got mad about what he saw. Prince William explained:
“George at school recently has been doing litter picking, and I didn't realize but talking to him the other day he was already showing that he was getting a bit confused [and] a bit sort of annoyed by the fact they went out litter picking one day and then the very next day, they did the same route, same time and pretty much all the same litter they picked up was back again."
George, welcome to the movement. There are so many things to love about this story. First, Prince George sounds like a smart and precocious young environmentalist. Second, it’s always just extremely cute when Prince William talks about his kids in such a candid way. And third, how amazing is it that William and Kate Middleton sent their kid to a school that makes him, a prince, pick up trash every day? They’re often called “normal” by people who meet them—Billie Eilish described them as such just this week—but it’s hard to know by what scale they’re being judged, right? Like, normal for royals? But every glimpse we get makes it seem like they really are trying their best to keep their kids grounded.
But speaking to Newscast host Adam Fleming, William was clear: If George has to grow up prioritizing how to stop climate change, it will mean that his generation has failed. "For me, it would be an absolute disaster if George is sat here talking to you or your successor, Adam, you know in like 30 years' time, whatever, still saying the same thing — because by then we will be too late," Prince William said.
Elsewhere in the Newscast interview, William called out the billionaires racing each other to space, saying, “[W]e need some of the world's greatest brains and minds fixed on trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live.”
The Earthshot Prize winners will be announced Sunday, October 17 (you can find more information here.) Go off, (Future) King!