Like his father, he’s determined to make his mark
EXACTLY 20 years ago, Prince Charles was refining plans for Poundbury, his experimental new town in Dorset.
With its integrated mix of housing, shops and businesses, it promised a different kind of urban living. It is five years from completion, but there is every chance it will come to be seen as Charles’ most significant and lasting achievement.
Yesterday, Prince William picked up the baton of environmental progress from his father. The launch of a major international prize to help ‘repair’ the planet could by the end of the decade be judged alongside Poundbury for the breadth of its vision.
The bar has been set high, with the hope that in time the award will match the prestige of the Nobel Prize.
For William, who is instinctively cautious in his announcements, this is a critical intervention. It signals not just his determination to inherit his father’s mantle, but also to stake out a position distinct from Prince Harry, whose own attempts to articulate a stance on climate change have been muddled.
The establishment of the annual Earthshot Prize represents his first serious independent move since he and his brother split their households and charities last year. While his latest initiative undoubtedly owes much to what he has learned from his father, William has embraced the more optimistic outlook of Prince Philip, who pioneered royal concern over the planet’s long-term future more than half a century ago.
William invoked the spirit of the 1960s’ global push to put a man on the moon – a period that resonates hugely with the 98-year-old Duke of Edinburgh.
William insisted it was possible to turn the tide through a combination of the enterprise and ingenuity that were the hallmarks of the Apollo missions.
In turning to Sir David Attenborough, who helped launch the prize, William has been especially canny. Attenborough’s cross-generational support is guaranteed to ensure the Earthshot Prize is not seen as a wishy-washy royal objective but something that really matters.
William is acutely aware of how many of his father’s projects that once seemed faddy – such as his interests in organic food and people-friendly architecture – have proved to be ahead of their time.
He also had a ringside seat as Harry and Meghan’s travel arrangements provoked accusations of hypocrisy. But William is not just the more watchful brother, he is also the more thoughtful one.
Experience has taught him to stick to territory he is familiar with. Two years ago he was criticised for straying, somewhat incoherently, into the debate over the legalisation of drugs. Friends say he was horrified by the reaction and he has been mindful of that ever since.
But on the environment he is on safe ground. William is positioning himself at the forefront of what is likely to be a global coalition to tackle the issue. Prince Charles, whom he consulted, will be happy for the spotlight to pass to his son.
Perhaps William, who has always said he will be a different Prince of Wales from his father, is showing he is, after all, a princely chip off the old block.