NEED TO KNOW

  • 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 oceans

On 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.”

Prince William (left) and David Attenborough (right).

Ryan Jenkinson / Kensington Palace

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?”

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Prince William (left) and David Attenborough (right).

Ryan Jenkinson / Kensington Palace

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.