Prince William thanks the Irwin family in a surprise video message
By Jo Abi|
Prince William has thanked the Irwins for their conservation work during a speech recorded for the Steve Irwin Gala in Las Vegas on May 11.
The video was later shared on the Wildlife Warriors Instagram account @wildlifewarriorsworldwide.
William, 41, spoke of the legacy left by Steve Irwin who died aged 44 after being stung by a stingray in 2006.
Watch the video above.
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"Tonight is all about conservation and continuing Steve's global mission to protect life on our planet," William began.
"His dream was to have the cleanest water, the freshest air and wildlife in abundance. But most of all, he wanted a future for our children," the Prince of Wales continued.
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"Advocating for the preservation of life on our planet," he said. "It is a passion I share and it is why I launched the Earthshot Prize, to search for and scale the most innovative solutions to the world's greatest environmental challenges. Our mission is to protect and restore our planet in this critical decade leading up to 2030."
Prince William launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020. Each year the prize highlights five winners who have made contributions towards environmentalism and awards £1 million ($1.9 million) to continue their work.
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The Prince of Wales said he is "hugely grateful" to the Irwins for their important work.
"I'm proud to join you virtually tonight to celebrate their work through Wildlife Warriors," he said, addressing those gathered at the gala.
"Seeing the global impact of the charity, founded by Steve and Terri in 2002, brings hope for the future. Never before has it been so important for every single one of us to make environmentally conscious choices that will ensure the healthy future of our planet," he added.
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William concluded by thanking guests for "caring about the future of our wildlife, our wild places and our planet."
Prince William has returned to royal duties this week having taken leave with his wife and children.
The Princess of Wales is undergoing outpatient treatment after cancer was discovered following planned abdominal surgery in January.
King Charles is also undergoing cancer treatment and has returned to royal duties, hosting a garden party at Buckingham Palace this week.
Prince William arrived at St Mary's Community Hospital in thee Isles of Scilly on May 10, giving an update on his family.
He told hospital administrator Tracy Smith "Kate's doing well" and said their children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, are "very jealous that I'm here and that they're not here as well."
William headed to Newquay, Cornwall, and visited the Duchy of Cornwall's first ever innovative housing project, to help address homelessness, in Nansledan.
The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate run by the Prince of William.
He also met with local organisations helping to keep the protect the beach, widely regarded as one of the best surfing beaches in the UK.
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