Prince William and Robert Irwin are among those celebrating Sir David Attenborough as he reaches his milestone 100th birthday
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The TV icon was celebrated with a short film from William's Earthshot Prize on Friday, May 8
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William's brother Prince Harry also penned a tribute to the environmenalist, who is a founding member of the Earthshot Prize Council, for Time
Prince Williamis leading the birthday wishes for TV iconSir David Attenboroughas he turned 100 on May 8.
In anew videofilmed at Windsor Castle for his environmental initiative, Earthshot Prize, William, 43, said, “Happy 100thDavid. I can’t believe it’s your 100thbirthday. Thank you so much for your support for the Earthshot Prize.”
“Everything you do continues to inspire me ... Have a very happy day," William added.
Sir David — who made his name decades ago creating groundbreaking documentaries capturing the natural and wild world — is one of the foundingEarthshot Prize council members. The council helps shortlist, and ultimately choose, candidates to receive prize money from William’s organization. Now in its sixth year, Earthshot Prizeworks to find solutions to the environmental damagethe planet has endured.
Another leading supporter is Australian TV personality and conservationistRobert Irwin, who also appeared in the video for Sir David's milestone birthday.
Earlier this week, Irwin, 22, revealed that the children of William and his wifeKate Middletonhadchosen a name for a new baby kangaroo at his Australia Zooin Queensland.
He says of Sir David, who is the brother of late double Oscar winnerRichard Attenborough, “Thank you so much for inspiring me and generations to have deeper understanding and connection to what’s most important — our beautiful natural world.”
In the birthday video, the man himself is quoted from a collection of Earthshot Prize speeches and his own broadcasts.”I have witnessed the natural world is all its splendor. We face a series of unprecedented challenges to nature and life on earth. If we put our minds to it, I believe we can live both well and responsibly on our planet.”
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Earthshot Prize added in the caption of the Instagram post, "For decades, you’ve opened our eyes to the beauty and fragility of our planet, turning hope into action, and inspiring generations of changemakers.”
Sir David has been close withKing Charlesand the royal family for decades, and the official Royal Family social media sites also added their best wishes for his centenary — complete with images of him with a young Charles and his sisterPrincess Anne.
Overnight, William’s brotherPrince Harryaddedhis own tribute with an essayforTime magazine. In it, the 41-year-old wrote, “For almost anyone who grew up in the United Kingdom,Sir David Attenboroughis more than a broadcaster; he is a secular saint,” Harry wrote. “He is an institutional pillar as essential to the national fabric as a cup of tea.”
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“He has earned the world’s trust by simply showing us that our environment is worth appreciating,” Harry continued. “He didn’t demand our attention, but drew us in with the wonder of nature all the same.”
“When a man who has quite literally seen it all begins to describe the loss of the planet's stability, he isn't being provocative,” Harry added. “He is reporting from the front lines of a planet he has known longer, and more intimately, than almost anyone alive.”
Later, on May 8, Sir David is expected at a special celebration of his life and work at a concert and show, also starring comedian and travel documentary maker Michael Palin and explorer Steve Backshall, at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It airs from 3.30pm ET/8.30 p.m. U.K. time.
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