Prince William has been celebrating. Over the weekend, the Prince celebrated his 44th birthday and Father's Day, with both landing on the same date. The heir to the throne spent the weekend surrounded by family and well-wishers across the UK, where he remains one of the royal family's most popular members. Despite the political chaos triggered by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's resignation, William hasn't skipped a beat. He returned to his official duties at a business forum for one of his signature causes, rubbing shoulders with Hollywood stars Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch.
© Getty ImagesThe Prince of Wales joined the actors at a forum organized by United for Wildlife, an initiative William founded in 2013 with the Royal Foundation. The organization tackles wildlife trafficking and environmental crime across every continent while supporting the people on the frontlines of conservation, from park rangers in Africa and Scotland to indigenous communities throughout South America. The gathering brought together global leaders from business and tech, all committed to protecting endangered species and fighting environmental crime.
During his remarks, Prince William, a passionate environmental advocate, opened up about wrestling with climate anxiety. "I've had sleepless nights," he said, worrying over climate change and what the future holds. But he's found solace in the work being done. "Seeing that some of the things we're doing are actually making a difference has kept my environmental anxiety at bay," he continued.
© Samir HusseinHe also challenged companies to be braver and reflected on leadership with candor: "I think you need to be the leader you wanted to be as a child. Look back at how you were as a kid, at what you wanted to see in the world, and bring those values into your role as CEO. Specifically around technology and innovation. We're witnessing massive change in that space."
The forum kicked off London Climate Action Week, which will feature other royal involvements, including the Earthshot Prize assembly.
What Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch had to say
© Getty ImagesEmma Watson, one of the most popular faces of her generation due to her work with the "Harry Potter" franchise, has long been a prominent activist. "The fashion industry actually produces more emissions than aviation, making it the second most polluting industry after oil. But as someone who genuinely loves fashion and it plays an important role in what I do, it's exciting because this is a huge area where we can really make an impact," she said.
The actress, who balances her acting career while pursuing a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford, also shared a funny anecdote about the time she thought paparazzi were tailing her. She spotted a bunch of guys with telephoto lenses and sent someone to distract them so she could slip out another door. Turns out, they weren't waiting for her at all; they were trying to photograph a red kite.
Benedict Cumberbatch called the Prince "a great guy" and made his own pitch during the panel: "We need to show everyone in this room and everyone outside it, the people they work with, that they can make a difference at a moment when the challenges seem absolutely overwhelming." He is committed to environmental conservation and recently participated in a documentary on the subject.
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