We went litter picking as children

The Duke of Cambridge has revealed his dad, the Prince of Wales, took him litter picking during a school holiday.

William and his brother, Har ry, thought it was normal to be given spikes and black plastic bags as teenagers and encouraged to clear up rubbish.

Charles is well known for his campaigning to protect the rain forest s , save endangered species from extinction and combat the threat of climate change.

William and Harry recall the memory in a new BBC documentary marking Charles’s forthcoming 70th birthday.

Speaking in Prince, Son And Heir: Charles At 70, William said: “He took us litter picking, when we were younger, on holiday.

“We were in Norfolk on school holidays, and went out litter picking with him ... Both of us thought ‘ This is perfectly normal, everyone must do it’.

“We’re there with our spikes, stabbing the rubbish into black plastic bags.”

The comments were made as the royal brothers watched a recording of the prince giving a speech in 1970 in which he mentioned the growing throwaway plastic society.

William added that his father was af fected by the back la sh to hi s environmental views, which saw him ridiculed for supposedly talking to plants.

He said: “He does live the way he advocates. He did take to heart the criticism when he was younger.”