How Prince William is following in dad Charles' environmentalist footsteps with first ever visit to 'Climate Action Week'… and another clue was his choice of tie, writes NATASHA LIVINGSTONE
This week Prince William has proven he can use diplomatic ties for the greater good- and not just at the Japan state visit.
Attending events related to London Climate Action week yesterday, the Prince of Wales carefully selected a smart green tie made from recycled plastic bottles.
It's a trick he no doubt learned from his father, King Charles, who is well-versed in the soft power of neckwear.
The King's favourite pink dinosaur tie is a coded reference to his new title of Charles III Rex (C-Rex) and he often wears a tie with Greek flags as a nod to his late father, Prince Philip.
It's a sweet similarity, particularly for a father and son who have not always had the easiest relationship.
This week Prince William has proven he can use diplomatic ties for the greater good- and not just at the Japan State Visit. Attending events related to London Climate Action week yesterday, the Prince of Wales carefully selected a smart green tie made from recycled plastic bottles
The King's favourite pink dino-centric tie is a coded reference to his new title of Charles III Rex (C-Rex). Above: His Majesty wearing the tie during his visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in April
Royal biographers have written that as a teenager William could be prone to angry outbursts, often directed at Charles, who was often on the receiving end.
And since Prince William became the Prince of Wales, many have observed how he carries the role differently to his father.
In his work, the Prince is more focused on 'community impact days' than the traditional fodder of ribbon-cutting.
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In his personal life, he is equally non-traditional.
Recently released family photos from Kensington Palace showed William to be a relaxed and surprisingly ordinary father, jumping off sand dunes with his kids and unashamedly dad-dancing in public.
In many ways William really is a modern Prince with different methods. But not in all ways.
This week Prince William attended London's Climate Action Week for the first time, with a day full of engagements he no doubt knew would struggle to get print space alongside the Japan state visit and, most importantly, the election.
But I watched on Thursday afternoon as Prince William listened attentively to eco-entrepreneurs explain the intricate details of their businesses.
He then gave an energising speech celebrating the climate innovators, adding that they gave him hope for the future.
Palace aides stressed that Prince William's focus for the summit was helping eco-entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, something his Earthshot Prize also hopes to achieve.
It's no doubt that the Prince of Wales is a man on a mission when it comes to the environment. Sound familiar? Above: William and Charles examine a herd of cattle at Duchy Home Farm in Tetbury, 2004
Prince William feeds a black rhino called Zawadi as he visits Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in Kent in June 2012
Prince William and David Attenborough in conversation during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting, in January 2019 in Davos, eastern Switzerland
Prince William speaks at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021
Prince William in the village of Tortel, Southern Chile during his continuing Operation Raleigh expedition, in December 2000
Prince William speaks during the inaugural Earthshot Prize awards ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London in October 2021
The then Prince Charles is seen in India during his tour of the country in the 1970s
Prince Charles takes a swim while on holiday in Barbados in October, 1970
The King pictured speaking at the opening ceremony for Cop26 at the SEC in Glasgow in 2021
In his core values - like his tie choices - William really is his father's son. Above: The pair outside Clarence House on the Queen Mother's 98th birthday in 1998
Charles and William attend the Order of The Garter service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on June 13, 2022
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It's clear that the Prince of Wales is a man on a mission when it comes to the environment.
Sound familiar?
Just this week, a climate design award co- founded by King Charles announced its own unique finalists: a faeces recycler, sequins made out of fish scales and a roadkill prevention device.
The King, of course, was a climate change advocate long before it was fashionable.
He was just 21 years old when he made his first landmark speech on the subject in 1970, warning of the threats from plastic waste and chemicals dumped into rivers and seas.
Many at the time thought the ideas were 'potty' - but they are now mainstream.
Yet William has also followed this footprint.
In May Prince William used his 'global convening power' to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), speaking at a summit dedicated to the issue.
AMR - commonly described as superbugs - is a deadly health issue that kills an estimated 5 million a year. But it is largely unknown and misunderstood.
Charles has been speaking out in favour of protecting the environment for more than five decades. Above: Charles delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow in 2021
In his speech the Prince spoke powerfully about the 'indiscriminate' threat of AMR, warning: 'Unless we act now and together, the ripple effects of drug resistance will be felt across generations, jeopardising the wellbeing of our children and our grandchildren.'
As Prince of Wales, William has greater freedoms than his father - constrained by the role of the monarch - now does and is using them to highlight the issues that matter to him the most.
In his core values - like his tie choices - William really is his father's son.