Prince William advocates for solution-oriented approaches to environmental challenges, subtly addressing his brother Prince Harry’s criticism.
In a veiled dig at estranged brother Prince Harry, Prince William said he doesn’t want to ‘preach’ to people about looking after the planet but rather focus on solutions to right what’s damaged.
In an interview to promote his new Earthshot documentary, William expressed his aspirations for a 10-year plan to address some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
During the chat, William said he wants to be ‘positive’ and not ‘preach’ as he discussed the goals behind his Earthshot Prize.
“It’s about doing it in a slightly different way that doesn’t damage what we care about. [I want to] celebrate talent and solutions, rather than telling people ‘don’t do this or don’t do that’,” he told Ted Lasso star Hannah.
“You’ve got to be so careful because there’s been a lot of that,” he said, adding, “I don’t want to preach; I want to find solutions.”
Royal watchers speculate that William’s remarks were a subtle critique of his younger brother and his wife, Meghan Markle, who faced ongoing criticism for advocating sustainable travel while frequently opting for private jet flights.
“Harold [referring to Harry] and wife should take his brother’s advice here,” a royal watcher wrote on X, while another simply said, “Oh the shade…”
The estranged brothers, both of whom have been advocates for environmental protection, have been embroiled in dispute for many years. Reports have suggested that they have not communicated for two years after the passing of the late Queen.
What is the Earthshot Prize?
The Earthshot Prize is a prestigious global environmental award established in 2020 by Prince William and The Royal Foundation. It aims to inspire and fund innovative solutions to address the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
The prize is awarded annually to five winners, each receiving £1 million (approximately $1.2 million USD) to support their projects, focused on five key goals, called Earthshots – protect and restore nature, clean our air, revive our oceans, build a waste-free world, and fix our climate.
The Earthshot Prize emphasises urgency, optimism, and global collaboration, encouraging individuals, communities, businesses, and governments to develop impactful environmental solutions by 2030.