NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n
On the eve of World Oceans Day, Prince William<\/a> is stepping into the role of TV host \u2014 interviewing none other than beloved naturalist Sir David Attenborough in a new short film highlighting the beauty and fragility of the world\u2019s oceans.\n<\/p>\n The five-minute conversation, released ahead of Attenborough\u2019s upcoming documentary Ocean, sees the two passionate conservationists delve into their shared fascination with the sea and their deep concern for its future.\n<\/p>\n \u201c[The damage done] to the ocean floor is unspeakably awful,\u201d Attenborough says in the clip. \u201cSomething must be done before we destroy this great treasure.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Prince William (left) and David Attenborough (right).<\/p>\n Ryan Jenkinson \/ Kensington Palace<\/p>\n 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. \u201cWe have an entr\u00e9e into people\u2019s front rooms,\u201d he says.\n<\/p>\n The veteran broadcaster, who turned 99 last month (and received birthday wishes from William<\/a>), also shares lighthearted memories from his early days of underwater filming \u2014 including struggling to use an old-fashioned diving helmet \u2014 before turning to the urgent message of his new film.\n<\/p>\n Ocean with David Attenborough<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n The release of William and Attenborough\u2019s conversation follows a new installment in the Prince of Wales\u2019 Guardians docuseries on BBC Earth<\/a>\u2019s YouTube channel. The latest episode spotlights Captain Jos\u00e9 Luis Cesena Calderon, a former illegal fisherman turned conservationist who now protects Mexico\u2019s Sea of Cortez from poachers targeting vulnerable species like parrotfish, lobster and octopus.\n<\/p>\n Both projects are part of a growing push by William, 42, to spotlight individuals and communities making a real difference for the planet. It\u2019s also central to his environmental legacy project, the Earthshot Prize<\/a> \u2014 where Attenborough sits on the council. One of the Prize\u2019s 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\u2019s office at Kensington Palace says.\n<\/p>\n Their partnership is personal, too. William and Attenborough, who also was close to the prince\u2019s grandmother\u00a0Queen Elizabeth<\/a>, share a warm bond that stretches back years \u2014 including a memorable moment in 2020 when\u00a0Prince George<\/a>, 11,\u00a0Princess Charlotte<\/a>, 10, and\u00a0Prince Louis<\/a>, 7, interviewed Attenborough\u00a0in a charming video<\/a> from Kensington Palace. The young royals grilled the nature icon with questions like, \u201cWhat animal do you think will go extinct next?\u201d\n<\/p>\n