The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to Dame Jane Goodall following her death at age 91, praising the renowned conservationist's "boundless curiosity, compassion and pioneering spirit". William said the world's leading expert on chimpanzee behaviour had "transformed our understanding of the natural world" and inspired him to protect the environment.
In a social media message, William wrote: "The world has lost an extraordinary voice with the passing of Dame Jane Goodall. Her boundless curiosity, compassion and pioneering spirit transformed our understanding of the natural world. She challenged us all to make a difference and inspired me and countless others to work to protect our planet. Jane Goodall made a difference. W."
Royal family's personal connection
Prince Harry and Meghan also shared their grief, revealing the personal bond they forged with Dame Jane. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recalled how she held their son Prince Archie as a newborn baby and "showered love and care to those who were privileged to know her".
The couple welcomed Dame Jane to their then-home Frogmore Cottage in 2019, where she cuddled five-week-old Archie. Harry and Meghan said: "Dr Jane Goodall DBE was a visionary humanitarian, scientist, friend to the planet, and friend to us. Her commitment to changing lives extends beyond what the world saw, and also to what we personally felt."
Global tributes pour in
Dame Jane died from natural causes while on a speaking tour in California. Former US presidents Joe Biden, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama celebrated her life and legacy, while Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio called her a "dear friend" and personal "hero".
Greenpeace remembered Dame Jane as a "tireless advocate" who inspired "millions". She had spoken at Glastonbury Festival last year about the planet, biodiversity loss and climate change, acknowledging that "young people are still losing hope".
Groundbreaking research legacy
Born in London in 1934, Dame Jane began researching free-living chimpanzees in Tanzania in 1960. She arrived at Gombe Stream National Park at a time when it was unheard of for a woman to venture into the wilds of Africa.
Her breakthrough observation of a chimpanzee named David Greybeard making tools from twigs to fish termites challenged the definition of humans as the only tool-making species. Her research became the longest field study ever undertaken of any group of animals in the wild.
Lasting institutional impact
Dame Jane founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, which works to protect chimpanzees and supports youth environmental projects. She established the Roots and Shoots youth empowerment project in 1991, now operating in more than 60 countries.
She was invested as a dame by the then-Prince of Wales, now King Charles, in 2004 at Buckingham Palace. Dame Jane said her most prized distinction was becoming UN Messenger of Peace in 2002. She had been scheduled to speak at a sold-out event at UCLA this Friday.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
