William 'protective' over animals

The Duke of Cambridge was interviewed in July soon after the birth of his son Prince George
10 September 2013

The Duke of Cambridge has spoken movingly about how the birth of his son has increased the depth of his feelings towards endangered animals.

William was left close to tears after being shown footage of a rhino attacked by poachers and left bleeding to death during filming for a documentary.

The royal was interviewed in July soon after the birth of his son Prince George and in the programme, to be screened by ITV and CNN on Sunday and Monday respectively, talks about his passion for wildlife and how fatherhood has changed him.

But it's not just nature's impressive big animals that have an effect on the royal, he also revealed how he is "not so good" with spiders and snakes. Documentary film maker Jane Treays, writing in the latest edition of the Radio Times, described the build up to the interview for the ITV programme and the events on the day.

During the informal chat filmed at Kensington Palace, William, who has a strong interest in animal conservation, told her: "The wildlife is incredibly vulnerable and I feel a real protective instinct, more so now that I am a father, which is why I get emotional about it... you want to stand up for what is very vulnerable and needs protecting.

"Elephants, rhinos and many other animals that are persecuted don't have a voice."

Ms Treays wrote that William became emotional when shown footage of the rhino "watching pictures of a butchered rhino bleeding to death. Tears well in his eyes and he confesses to everything being changed by the birth of his son."

The Duke says in the documentary: "It's just so powerful. You'd think something that big and that's been around so long, would have worked out a way to avoid being caught and persecuted, but they really don't. I do feel anger, but I also feel really great hope that we will overcome this as a human race."

William's family, from his grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh to his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, have inspired him to champion causes he believes in.

The Duke said: "The legacy is quite a daunting one, following on from my grandfather and father. It just sort of happened... My mother would come back with all these stories, full of excitement and passion for what she had been doing and I used to sit there, quite a surprised little boy, taking it all in - and the infectious enthusiasm and energy she had rubbed off on me."

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