London : Prince William delivered his first speech as heir to the British throne at a wildlife protection summit Tuesday, signaling that the royal family will continue to champion environmental causes as King Charles III is forced to step back from front-line campaigning.
William delivered the keynote speech at the United for Wildlife global summit in London, addressing some 300 representatives of law enforcement agencies, conservation groups and corporations that are working to combat the trade in illegal wildlife products, which is estimated at $20 billion annually.
The prince and his Royal Foundation created United for Wildlife in 2014 to protect endangered species from the illegal trade in goods such as elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn.
The natural world is a gift everyone should protect, William told the gathering. “It is a lesson I learnt from a young age, from my father and my grandfather, both committed naturalists in their own right, and also from my much-missed grandmother, who cared so much for the natural world,” he said, referring to Charles and the late Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II. “In times of loss, it is a comfort to honor those we miss through the work we do.”
