Prince William has issued a personal message for those affected by the “devastating” wildfires that continue to spread across Europe.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating wildfires across France, Spain and the UK,” the Prince of Wales penned in a heartfelt statement posted to his joint account with the Princess of Wales on Monday evening. “We are deeply grateful to the firefighters, emergency services and volunteers working tirelessly in extraordinarily difficult conditions.”
He continued: “These events are a stark reminder of the challenges posed by an increasingly extreme climate and the importance of protecting both people and nature.”
The Prince of Wales’ statement highlighted one of his longtime passions, which is advocating for the environment. The Prince of Wales launched his passion project, The Earthshot Prize, in 2020 to help find solutions to restore the natural world and tackle issues such as pollution.
Just like his son, King Charles has long campaigned for the environment and practices organic farming in his personal life.
What is the latest on the wildfires?
More than 300,000 people have been evacuated as extreme wildfires continue to rage across Europe.
Spain and France have been hit the worst after experiencing extreme temperatures over the summer. 220,000 were forced out of their homes in southwest France as around 42,000 hectares of land have been burnt. It has been reported as one of the largest forest fires since World War II.
© AFP via Getty ImagesIn Spain, 116,000 have been evacuated and around 70,000 hectares have been burned this year. A fast-moving wildfire in the Andalusia region on 10 July resulted in 12 deaths and 23 people missing in what has been recorded as one of Spain’s deadliest fires.
Meanwhile, the UK is braced for further wildfires as a fourth heatwave of the summer looms. The Met Office is forecasting temperatures could reach as high as 35 degrees across south-eastern England on Wednesday.
Prince William’s environmental work
© GettyThe Prince of Wales spoke exclusively to HELLO! in November ahead of his annual Earthshot awards ceremony about how his children – Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight – help motivate his environmental work.
“As a father, I think constantly about the world my children will inherit,” he told us. “I want them to grow up surrounded by nature, opportunity and a sense of hope about the future. But I also know that unless we act boldly now, that future is at risk. The Earthshot Prize is about turning the tide, about proving to our children that we are willing to fight for their tomorrow.”
He continued: “Urgent optimism is the heartbeat of The Earthshot Prize. It’s the belief that although the challenges we face are immense, the solutions are within reach and we must act with speed and conviction to bring them to life. It’s not blind hope. It’s hope backed by evidence, by ingenuity and by the courage of those who refuse to give up on our planet.”
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