Climate Kings: The royals tackling environmental change

Many royals around the world see protecting to the planet as part of their duty. 

And Prince William is no different, having long spoken out about the importance of fighting climate change. 

He has taken steps to try and make a difference, including setting up the Earthshot Prize. The Prince of Wales last week travelled to South Africa to present the award - an initiative he started in 2020 to try find solutions to the crisis.

It focuses on five key areas: protect and restore nature, clean our air, revive our oceans, build a waste free world and fix our climate.

It isn't the only work on the environment that the prince has undertaken. 

In a video released this year at a United Nations event, William urged people to 'make peace with nature'.

His impassioned speech pushed for leaders to come together and do more to tackle the nature crisis.

The prince said: 'If we are to keep this planet liveable for our children and grandchildren, we must act urgently.'

He added: 'We must act with urgency to protect at least 30% of our land, inland waters, and ocean by 2030.

William isn't the only royal to take a stance on the climate crisis - his father has campaigned on the issue for five decades.

At just 21 years old, Charles gave a speech warning about plastic pollution in 1970 when introducing the Prince of Wales Countryside Award. 

During his talk, the young prince said: 'When you think that each person produces roughly 2lbs of rubbish per day (I believe the American's produce more per head!) and there are 53million of us on this planet using non-returnable bottles and indestructible plastic containers, it is not difficult to imagine the mountains of refuse that we shall have to deal with somehow.'

Since then, the monarch has continued to campaign about environmental matters.

He has been involved with the United Nations' Conference of the Parties (COP) climate summits several times. 

In 2021, at Cop26 in Glasgow, Charles spoke about how the pandemic had taught the world 'timelines can be sped up dramatically' when everyone 'agrees on the urgency and the direction'.

He added that the strength of the 'global private sector' was greater than governments and represented the only 'real prospect' of fundamental change.

Last year, at Cop28, he warned world leaders that 'the Earth does not belong to us' and that his grandchildren will be 'living with the consequences of what we did or didn't do' on climate change in 2050.

Aside from British royals, monarchs from around the globe openly campaign too.

King Frederik of Denmark has spoken out for years about climate change. has spoken out for years about climate change. 

In 2010, he told the Financial Times: 'If climate change becomes radical, then we are all in danger – we are in danger of not being able to see ourselves in a thousand years.'

From 2008, the royal served as the patron of State of Green, a not-for-profit partnership between the Danish government and leading business associations, until his accession, and then was appointed again after he was crowned earlier this year. 

State of Green aims to drive climate-friendly and sustainable business. 

Gitte Redder, who co-authored Frederik: Crown Prince of Denmark, previously told the Daily Telegraph: 'By nature he is open-minded, curious and down to earth. 

'With Crown Princess Mary he has already set the agenda on sustainability, medicine and human rights, and the royal couple has ambitions that the monarchy should also be relevant, useful and have value for young generations in the future.'

His mother, Queen Margrethe, also mentioned climate change in her New Year address when she announced she would be stepping down from the throne. 

She said: 'Last month, the UN published a new climate report. The seriousness is obvious. The globe's climate is changing faster than we thought.

'We need to address climate change. The consequences are not only in the future. They are here already, and they are extreme.

'Most people in Denmark are fully aware of this, even if it has been difficult for some of us to fully realise it.

'Together we must now find the hope and determination to do something.'

However, Frederik and his wife, Queen Mary, were under fire by critics earlier this year who accused them of backtracking on their 'royal promise' to focus on environmental sustainability.

It came after the couple finished their 'hypocritical' summer tour during which they spent much of their time on their royal yacht, the Dannebrog.

Some experts say the 92-year-old ship is 'far from environmentally friendly'.

Elsewhere across the globe, Prince Albert of Monaco launched the Prince Albert II of Monaco, Foundation (PA2F) in 2006.

The organisation supports projects concerning climate change and promotes sustainable development. 

Just last year, the prince visited a park in Philadelphia to plant a tree after his foundation gave a grant to a Pennsylvania green charity.

He flew to the state to meet with Orlando Rendon, commissioner of Philadelphia parks and recreation.

While in Philadelphia the pair were seen during the golden shovel tree planting ceremony to celebrate the $130,000 grant awarded by the monarch's charity.

Another royal who has voiced his concerns over climate change and environmental issues is Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.

He previously travelled to Greenland in 2022 and talked to scientists researching the impact of climate on the area. 

Afterwards, he said:  'When you’re standing out there on the ice, it seems almost endless. But it is not. 

'You can cross it in two weeks with just the help of the wind. As unbelievable as it may seem, the fact is we humans are having an impact on this enormous mass of ice. 

'It is finite and we must take care of it. It is melting fast, and the reason for that is man-made climate change.'

The Crown Prince has also served on the United Nations development programme as goodwill ambassador since 2003.