Prince William Says Queen Elizabeth is Much-Missed in His First Speech as Prince of Wales
Prince William has long campaigned on the subject of the illegal wildlife trade, founding United for Wildlife in 2014 to help protect endangered species from poaching and trafficking. And today, he made his first keynote speech as the Prince of Wales on this subject that will remain a key part of his royal work.
Despite his change in status as first in line to the throne and Prince of Wales, William made it clear today that tackling the illegal wildlife trade remains high on his agenda. He joined 300 delegates at the United for Wildlife Global Summit in London’s Science Museum as they gathered to put on a show of strength against wildlife crime. Speakers included Lord William Hague, Chair of the Royal Foundation, David Fein, Chair of United for Wildlife financial Taskforce as well as figures from conservation, law enforcement, and other connected organizations such as Interpol.
"Our natural world is one of our greatest assets. It is a lesson I learnt from a young age, from my father and grandfather, both committed naturalists in their own right, and also from my much-missed grandmother who cared so much for the natural world," Prince William said in the speech.
He continued, "In times of loss, it is a comfort to honour those we miss through the work we do. I take great comfort then from the progress we are making to end the illegal wildlife trade." The Prince added that it was a "difficult mission that we commit ourselves to," continuing, "We set out to ensure that those involved in wildlife crime face an international response as powerful and coordinated as any other serious and organised crime. To bring their sinister operations out of the shadows and to ensure that communities are equipped, empowered and supported to protect themselves and their natural world."
The summit also featured tributes to South African ranger Anton Mzimba, who was shot and killed in July this year. Described as “dedicated, humble and compassionate,” Anton devoted his life to protecting wildlife and paving the way for future generations to do the same. Following his death, Prince William called for those responsible to be swiftly brought to justice and said he was thinking of Anton’s family. In his speech today he said about Anton, "It is also only right that we honor him by continuing our work with renewed focus and vigour." Anton is the hero of upcoming feature-length documentary Rhino Man, which highlights the efforts of rangers to protect South Africa’s rhinos.
Prince William set up United for Wildlife in 2014 with the aim of fostering global collaboration in the private sector to prevent wildlife trafficking. "By sharing knowledge and information across sectors and between countries, United for Wildlife is transforming illegal wildlife trade prevention and the prosecution of those who profit from these crimes,” the organization says on its website. “This unique collaborative approach has united international law enforcement agencies, non-governmental organisations, private and public sector, grassroots communities, and large corporations.”
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