The Prince of Wales made a surprise appearance at the Steve Irwin Gala in Las Vegas to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late conservationist and animal expert.
Appearing via video from the United Kingdom, William welcomed those in attendance and said that Irwin’s 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.”
William launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020 to combat five key challenges affecting the environment, and said on Saturday that the Irwin Family’s “support for the prize is something that I’m hugely grateful for.”
The royal said that seeing the impact of Wildlife Warriors, a charitable organisation founded by Steve and his wife Terry 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 planet.”
William has long been associated with the Irwin Family on conservation work.
Robert Irwin, the youngest member of the family, is an Earthshot Prize advocate and has said of the royal: “For Prince William, who has such a great platform, to lend his voice, his resources into creating positive change is such a refreshing, wonderful thing to see. I applaud what he is doing.”
William has also praised Robert’s conservation work, telling him that his father would be proud of how he’s continued on with the work. “Your passion is only second to his.”
Wildlife Warriors International shared William’s video message on their Instagram account, writing: “Celebrating conservation and Steve’s global mission to protect life on this planet, we would like to thank His Royal Highness, Prince William, for welcoming our guests at the Steve Irwin Gala Las Vegas. We are exceptionally proud to continue to work together on the preservation of our natural world, through the @earthshotprize and Wildlife Warriors. Together, we can make a difference for the future generations.”
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