Royal with a cause
Last week, britain’s Prince William visited Washington dc for the first time and our columnist found herself among local royal watchers.
I’VE always enjoyed watching the royals – or poring over their clothes to be exact. And no other royal has inspired countless columns or photo stories charting her sartorial choices as the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
It is indeed a happy coincidence that her daughter-in-law has stepped into her Jimmy Choos oh-so-fabulously!
Those of us who followed her funeral service in 1997 also remember that heartbreaking scene of her two young sons, walking forlornly behind the carriage bearing her coffin, and have empathised with them ever since.
Perhaps that explains the enduring fascination with heir to the throne, Prince William the Duke of Cambridge, who has admirably taken it all in his stride despite the never-ending media hoopla surrounding him. So, when news first emerged of his impending solo trip to DC, I knew I had to be there.
His DC itinerary included a 20-minute visit with President Barack Obama at the White House, followed by a stop at the World Bank where he was to address more than 300 anti-corruption officials who had assembled here for the International Corruption Hunters Alliance meeting.
I was keen to hear what he had to say about the cause he was championing: to end the illegal wildlife trade.
So, last Monday I headed for the Bank, assuming that I’d be part of a tiny retinue of royal watchers. What I saw after I passed the security clearance was far from it. Milling about the foyer were chicly dressed and excitedly chattering staff, eagerly awaiting the prince’s arrival. (It would emerge later that the Prince had eschewed a private jet and instead flew to DC on a commercial flight from New York, surprising his fellow passengers including CNN’s Anderson Cooper who tweeted, “Prince William just got on my DC shuttle flight”).
As I had come 30 minutes prior to the Prince’s ETA, I was lucky enough to snag a choice spot.
Finally, the press corps that had been waiting in the freezing cold outside and the DC Special Police officers started moving in, signalling the Prince’s arrival. On cue, smart phones and iPads were raised high amidst excited calls out to “William!” All smiles and devoid of airs, the Prince shook hands with some of the predominantly female crowd, one of whom I later overheard exclaiming, “I didn’t want to let go of his hand!”
Then it was on to serious business. As I mentioned earlier, the Prince’s mission in DC was to galvanise political support to end the illegal wildlife trade.
He didn’t mince his words during his 15-minute speech: “In my view, one of the most insidious forms of corruption and criminality in the world today is the illegal wildlife trade. Here, criminal gangs turn vast profits from the illegal killing or capture of wildlife, armed groups and terrorists swap poached ivory for guns and middlemen oil the wheels of the trade in return for reward.”
He underscored the need to stop those who “loot our planet to feed mankind’s ignorant craving for exotic pets, trinkets, cures and ornaments derived from the world’s vanishing and irreplaceable species.”
Speaking in his capacity as the president of United for Wildlife, an umbrella organisation he founded to try to preserve the planet’s most endangered animals and habitats, he also listed some staggering statistics.
The one that saddened me the most involves Malaysia’s own national symbol: only an estimated 3,200 tigers are left worldwide.
He also announced a new task force that will work with the transport sector on shutting down illegal wildlife trade routes, giving Air New Zealand special mention for refusing to ship sharks’ fins on its planes.
He was then escorted out of the hall presumably to meet with the Bank’s higher-ups. After about a 30-minute wait, he made his way out, much to the delight of the lunchtime crowd waiting there.
This time, I was way up front and successfully captured that trademark shy smile and amiable demeanour both in pictures and video. While some may dismiss royal watchers as fluff-loving flakes, going by what this Prince has done and champions, he is a royal worth watching.
Besides, it’s not every day that one encounters the future King of England – in the flesh.
Brenda Benedict is a Malaysian living in Washington DC. She recently completed a marathon viewing session of all four seasons of The Tudors on Netflix.