David Attenborough tells Prince William he was appalled to see what humanity has done to the ocean
David Attenborough has described the human impact on the deep ocean floor as 'unspeakably awful' in a conversation with Prince William to mark the launch of the veteran broadcaster's latest documentary.
In a video filmed at London's Royal Festival Hall in early May and posted to Kensington Palace's social media channels Saturday, the biologist and natural historian reflected on the scale of human damage inflicted beneath the surface – much of it, he said, invisible to the public eye.
'The awful thing is that it's hidden from most people,' Attenborough said. 'What we have done to the deep ocean floor is just unspeakably awful. If you did anything remotely like it on land, everybody would be up in arms.'
The pioneering naturalist added that he was 'appalled' when he 'first saw the shots taken for this film' that showed the state of the ocean floor.
The feature-length documentary 'Ocean with David Attenborough' explores 'how his lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery' and 'why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing.'
The film will be available to stream online from Sunday, which is World Oceans Day.
'If this film does anything, if it just shifts public awareness, it will be very, very important,' Attenborough said. 'I can only hope that people who see it will recognize that something must be done before we destroy this great treasure.'
The 99-year-old broadcaster told William that it is 'heartening' to have an 'entree to people's front rooms.'
'Whole families sitting at home in comfort can actually suddenly see this coming up. Films like this can expose something new,' he said.
William, reflecting on the ocean's unexplored frontiers, said the idea that there may be oceanic regions no human has ever seen was 'fascinating.' He asked Attenborough whether that possibility still exists.
'Beyond question,' the naturalist replied. 'We're in the situation now when, in fact, it is possible to go into places where nothing like you has ever been there before.'
The Prince of Wales added that the opportunity for discovery offers 'a really optimistic excitement sort of moment for the next generation to be able to be bigger explorers.'
A champion of the environment for over a decade, William has repeatedly cited Attenborough as an 'inspiration' throughout the years, most recently in connection with his 'Guardians' docuseries, which focuses on the work of wildlife protection rangers.
In 2020, the pair launched The Earthshot Prize – an ambitious environmental initiative that seeks to offer green solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges, including ocean protection. The prize awards £1 million (about $1.2 million) annually to five winners. Organizers hope that by 2030, at least 50 pioneering environmental solutions will have been funded.
'Ocean' builds on Attenborough's years of collaboration with marine scientists working to explore and document the deep sea. Its release comes amid concerns over threats such as deep-sea mining, biodiversity decline, and the vulnerability of ocean ecosystems to climate change.
The documentary also arrives just ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference taking place later this month in Nice, France. Member states have agreed in principle to protect 30% of the world's oceans, but progress has been slow. In 'Ocean,' Attenborough calls for more urgency.
CNN's Nell Lewis contributed to this report.
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Prince William Interviews Sir David Attenborough on Camera — and Things Get Deep
Prince William joins Sir David Attenborough for a candid conversation about their shared passion for ocean conservation Attenborough, 99, spotlights the beauty and fragility of marine life in his new documentary Ocean, debuting June 8 on World Oceans Day The release coincides with Prince William's upcoming trip to Monaco, where he'll speak at a major summit on protecting the world's oceansOn the eve of World Oceans Day, Prince William is stepping into the role of TV host — interviewing none other than beloved naturalist Sir David Attenborough in a new short film highlighting the beauty and fragility of the world's oceans. The five-minute conversation, released ahead of Attenborough's upcoming documentary Ocean, sees the two passionate conservationists delve into their shared fascination with the sea and their deep concern for its future. '[The damage done] to the ocean floor is unspeakably awful,' Attenborough says in the clip. 'Something must be done before we destroy this great treasure.' But like William, 42, Attenborough remains optimistic about what can be achieved through greater knowledge of the seas and how to protect them. Some of that comes with the awareness raised by his film. 'We have an entrée into people's front rooms,' he says. The veteran broadcaster, who turned 99 last month (and received birthday wishes from William), also shares lighthearted memories from his early days of underwater filming — including struggling to use an old-fashioned diving helmet — before turning to the urgent message of his new film. Ocean with David Attenborough premieres June 7 on National Geographic and begins streaming June 8 on Hulu and Disney+, coinciding with World Oceans Day. William will also mark the occasion by speaking at a high-level conference on ocean preservation in Monaco. The release of William and Attenborough's conversation follows a new installment in the Prince of Wales' Guardians docuseries on BBC Earth's YouTube channel. The latest episode spotlights Captain José Luis Cesena Calderon, a former illegal fisherman turned conservationist who now protects Mexico's Sea of Cortez from poachers targeting vulnerable species like parrotfish, lobster and octopus. Both projects are part of a growing push by William, 42, to spotlight individuals and communities making a real difference for the planet. It's also central to his environmental legacy project, the Earthshot Prize — where Attenborough sits on the council. One of the Prize's five categories, Revive Our Oceans, has helped fund and scale efforts that have restored over 20,000 square kilometers of marine ecosystems and saved or recycled 2.5 million tonnes of water since 2021, William's office at Kensington Palace says. Their partnership is personal, too. William and Attenborough, who also was close to the prince's grandmother Queen Elizabeth, share a warm bond that stretches back years — including a memorable moment in 2020 when Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, interviewed Attenborough in a charming video from Kensington Palace. The young royals grilled the nature icon with questions like, 'What animal do you think will go extinct next?' Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! In a statement to PEOPLE, Attenborough reflected on the magnitude of what we still don't know — and what's at stake. "My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery," he said. "Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations, and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man.' 'In this film, we share some of those wonderful discoveries, uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can be restored to health," he added. Ocean with David Attenborough premieres June 7 on National Geographic and will be available to stream on Hulu on Disney+ on June 8, World Ocean Day. Read the original article on People
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David Attenborough tells Prince William he was appalled to see what humanity has done to the ocean
David Attenborough has described the human impact on the deep ocean floor as 'unspeakably awful' in a conversation with Prince William to mark the launch of the veteran broadcaster's latest documentary. In a video filmed at London's Royal Festival Hall in early May and posted to Kensington Palace's social media channels Saturday, the biologist and natural historian reflected on the scale of human damage inflicted beneath the surface – much of it, he said, invisible to the public eye. 'The awful thing is that it's hidden from most people,' Attenborough said. 'What we have done to the deep ocean floor is just unspeakably awful. If you did anything remotely like it on land, everybody would be up in arms.' The pioneering naturalist added that he was 'appalled' when he 'first saw the shots taken for this film' that showed the state of the ocean floor. The feature-length documentary 'Ocean with David Attenborough' explores 'how his lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery' and 'why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing.' The film will be available to stream online from Sunday, which is World Oceans Day. 'If this film does anything, if it just shifts public awareness, it will be very, very important,' Attenborough said. 'I can only hope that people who see it will recognize that something must be done before we destroy this great treasure.' The 99-year-old broadcaster told William that it is 'heartening' to have an 'entree to people's front rooms.' 'Whole families sitting at home in comfort can actually suddenly see this coming up. Films like this can expose something new,' he said. William, reflecting on the ocean's unexplored frontiers, said the idea that there may be oceanic regions no human has ever seen was 'fascinating.' He asked Attenborough whether that possibility still exists. 'Beyond question,' the naturalist replied. 'We're in the situation now when, in fact, it is possible to go into places where nothing like you has ever been there before.' The Prince of Wales added that the opportunity for discovery offers 'a really optimistic excitement sort of moment for the next generation to be able to be bigger explorers.' A champion of the environment for over a decade, William has repeatedly cited Attenborough as an 'inspiration' throughout the years, most recently in connection with his 'Guardians' docuseries, which focuses on the work of wildlife protection rangers. In 2020, the pair launched The Earthshot Prize – an ambitious environmental initiative that seeks to offer green solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges, including ocean protection. The prize awards £1 million (about $1.2 million) annually to five winners. Organizers hope that by 2030, at least 50 pioneering environmental solutions will have been funded. 'Ocean' builds on Attenborough's years of collaboration with marine scientists working to explore and document the deep sea. Its release comes amid concerns over threats such as deep-sea mining, biodiversity decline, and the vulnerability of ocean ecosystems to climate change. The documentary also arrives just ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference taking place later this month in Nice, France. Member states have agreed in principle to protect 30% of the world's oceans, but progress has been slow. In 'Ocean,' Attenborough calls for more urgency. CNN's Nell Lewis contributed to this report.
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David Attenborough has described the human impact on the deep ocean floor as 'unspeakably awful' in a conversation with Prince William to mark the launch of the veteran broadcaster's latest documentary. In a video filmed at London's Royal Festival Hall in early May and posted to Kensington Palace's social media channels Saturday, the biologist and natural historian reflected on the scale of human damage inflicted beneath the surface – much of it, he said, invisible to the public eye. 'The awful thing is that it's hidden from most people,' Attenborough said. 'What we have done to the deep ocean floor is just unspeakably awful. If you did anything remotely like it on land, everybody would be up in arms.' The pioneering naturalist added that he was 'appalled' when he 'first saw the shots taken for this film' that showed the state of the ocean floor. The feature-length documentary 'Ocean with David Attenborough' explores 'how his lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery' and 'why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing.' The film will be available to stream online from Sunday, which is World Oceans Day. 'If this film does anything, if it just shifts public awareness, it will be very, very important,' Attenborough said. 'I can only hope that people who see it will recognize that something must be done before we destroy this great treasure.' The 99-year-old broadcaster told William that it is 'heartening' to have an 'entree to people's front rooms.' 'Whole families sitting at home in comfort can actually suddenly see this coming up. Films like this can expose something new,' he said. William, reflecting on the ocean's unexplored frontiers, said the idea that there may be oceanic regions no human has ever seen was 'fascinating.' He asked Attenborough whether that possibility still exists. 'Beyond question,' the naturalist replied. 'We're in the situation now when, in fact, it is possible to go into places where nothing like you has ever been there before.' The Prince of Wales added that the opportunity for discovery offers 'a really optimistic excitement sort of moment for the next generation to be able to be bigger explorers.' A champion of the environment for over a decade, William has repeatedly cited Attenborough as an 'inspiration' throughout the years, most recently in connection with his 'Guardians' docuseries, which focuses on the work of wildlife protection rangers. In 2020, the pair launched The Earthshot Prize – an ambitious environmental initiative that seeks to offer green solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges, including ocean protection. The prize awards £1 million (about $1.2 million) annually to five winners. Organizers hope that by 2030, at least 50 pioneering environmental solutions will have been funded. 'Ocean' builds on Attenborough's years of collaboration with marine scientists working to explore and document the deep sea. Its release comes amid concerns over threats such as deep-sea mining, biodiversity decline, and the vulnerability of ocean ecosystems to climate change. The documentary also arrives just ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference taking place later this month in Nice, France. Member states have agreed in principle to protect 30% of the world's oceans, but progress has been slow. In 'Ocean,' Attenborough calls for more urgency. CNN's Nell Lewis contributed to this report.
