William praises Attenborough's dedication as he wishes him happy 99th birthday

Independent

08-05-2025

The Prince of Wales has praised Sir David Attenborough's dedication to the planet in a personal tribute wishing him a happy 99th birthday.
William met Sir David on Tuesday before attending a private screening of the broadcaster's new film, Ocean With David Attenborough, at the Royal Festival Hall in London.
The prince, in a message released on social media, wrote: 'As he turns 99 today, in his new film, Sir David has once again reminded us of the need to protect natural habitats – this time those beneath the ocean.
'He has dedicated his life to ensuring we understand the realities of what mankind is doing to the planet.
'However hard-hitting his message is, Sir David always leaves us with a sense of hope and optimism that all is not lost and this film is no different.
'We must act together, with urgency, to restore our oceans. Happy Birthday, David. W'
The naturalist has been on our TV screens for more than seven decades presenting programmes such as Planet Earth and The Blue Planet.
Mike Gunton, creative director at BBC Studios Natural History Unit, told the PA news agency that Sir David must have 'one of the greatest legacies of any human being ever.'
Mr Gunton, who has worked with Sir David on documentaries including Attenborough And The Giant Dinosaur and Bafta-winning Planet Earth II, said: 'Each generation has its own kind of personal legacy from him, and I think that's remarkable'.
'But also, there's a broader, I suppose, global legacy, which I think is that he has shown us wonders, he's helped us understand wonders, and he's encouraged us to protect these wonders.
'If you could do that in a lifetime, and speak to hundreds upon hundreds of millions of people and inspire them to do all that, that's got to be one of the greatest legacies of any human being ever.
'And I think he's aware of that, and the responsibility of that, and he often talks about the privilege of being able to do that, and it's a privilege for those of us who have worked with him to have.'
Mr Gunton began working with the broadcaster aged 29 and said it has been 'a life-defining experience' for him.
He told PA: 'Every programme I have made with him has been a remarkable experience which the audience have always found completely memorable and worthwhile and that's a joy for anybody, to make things that are remembered, you know, they're historic, they're part of human history.'
Sir David was born David Frederick Attenborough on May 8 1926, in London, the son of an academic and principal of University College Leicester.
Before joining the BBC in 1952, he studied geology at the University of Cambridge and served two years in the Royal Navy.
He made his reputation with the ground-breaking Zoo Quest series, which he hosted for 10 years on the BBC.
In 1965 he became controller of BBC2, overseeing the advent of colour TV, and he later became BBC director of programming.
Ultimately, however, life as a broadcast executive did not appeal and he returned with relief to his early passions, programme-making and filming wildlife.
His famous whispering voice captured the imaginations of the nation in 1979 when he was seen mingling and bonding with a family of gorillas in Life On Earth and its sequel, The Living Planet, in 1984.
The following year, he was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II before being awarded a Knight Grand Cross honour in 2022.
The TV presenter has two children, Susan and Robert, with his late wife Jane, whom he married in 1950.
In recent years, Sir David, who resides in Richmond, London, has presented shows including Dynasties, Prehistoric Planet and Planet Earth III.
In celebration of his 99th birthday, his new documentary about the health of the ocean airs in cinemas from Thursday.
Also to mark his birthday, John Murray Press is giving at least 1,000 copies of his new book, Ocean: Earth's Last Wilderness, to schools and libraries across the UK.