Prince Edward Shines in New Royal Video — and It’s Clear He’s Just as Devoted to the Planet as Charles
This summer has seen several meaningful royal engagements, some of them quieter but no less impactful. Among them was a recent visit tied to a major international conservation project, alongside ongoing efforts to support youth development, environmental leadership, and public service across borders. Unlike the high-profile appearances of King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, or Princess Kate, Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, quietly dove headfirst into projects close to his heart, and a recent video shared by Buckingham Palace showed royal fans a glimpse of his hands-on approach to the same.
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Last week, the Duke visited a historic ship, the Oosterschelde, a 107-year-old vessel that just finished a two-year journey retracing Charles Darwin’s famous voyage on the HMS Beagle. The tour was part of the Darwin200 initiative, which aims to inspire a new generation of environmental leaders. A video of the visit was shared on the royal family’s official Instagram, highlighting the project and Edward’s involvement.
The caption read, “Last week, the Duke of Edinburgh toured the 107-year-old ship Oosterschelde. This ship has just completed a two-year journey, re-tracing Charles Darwin’s route that was made two centuries ago on HMS Beagle. The Duke met young conservationists and the crew to hear more about their voyage and experiences. 105 young conservationists were selected from 45 countries all over the world, and they had the opportunity to join part of the voyage. They were selected due to their lifetime passion for nature conservation and their efforts to protect and restore the planet.” The long-term goal of Darwin200, as per their website, is to train 200 young conservation leaders, one from each country and territory, to help lead future environmental efforts.
As the video made the rounds on the internet, royal watchers raved about the Duke's efforts. A royal observer wrote, “Wow, that’s so inspiring! Seeing young people from everywhere chase their dreams like that.” Another said, “The Duke is amazing in his work! And this engagement last week was incredible.” A comment also read, “Oh my, what a great journey it must have been amazing! The future of our planet is so important for future generations. Respect for the Duke of Edinburgh, a hardworking member of the Royal family!”
The Darwin200 event is just one part of a packed summer for the Duke. Earlier in July, he traveled to Canada to mark the 150th anniversary of the Prince Edward Island Regiment as its Colonel-in-Chief. While there, he met with members of the Canadian military and police and joined a Freedom of the City parade in Charlottetown.
He also spent time with the Abegweit First Nation and took part in an educational forum tied to his initiative. Meanwhile, Edward's International Award encourages young people to challenge themselves and discover their purpose, as per reports. The Prince also made stops in Toronto, where he visited HMCS York, the Toronto Police Marine Unit, CFB Trenton, and the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment. He took time to acknowledge the work of Canada’s military and emergency services throughout the visit.