Gear up! This is going to be a mind-numbing story. Once upon a time there lived a work-shy prince in a land far, far away. Work-Shy Will would stomp and pout and throw tantrums whenever he didn’t get his way. After years of huffing, puffing and tantruming, the people had enough and starting openly making fun of him and his work-shy ways. The work-shy prince realized changes needed to be made, so he ordered his press people to be thrown under the bus. When no one bought that, Work-Shy Will tried a different tack: he would change the subject and try to make it look like he was doing something other than country-gentlemanning on the taxpayer’s dime. He would do… something. Something involving animals. But what the work-shy prince didn’t realize was that he would still get questions about how little work he actually does.
So, Prince William sat down for an interview with ITV. One of the very first questions was about how little work he actually does in general and whether he’s “throne idle.” After deflecting to his conservation work, saying “These sorts of things take a lot of time, they take a lot of planning and a lot of knowledge building, a lot of conversations,” journalist Mark Austin kept pressing him, asking, “Does it frustrate you when people criticize you, say that you’re not busy enough, you’re not working hard enough?” William replied (with a really smug, smarmy look on his face): “It’s part of the job, Mark.” As in, William thinks it’s part of his “job” to be criticized by the press for not really working. I told you this was going to be mind-numbing. Here are more quotes from the interview:
The poaching crisis: “Today is more about talking about the poaching crisis. And I want to turn round and turn to my children and my friends and talk to other people my age and having known we have truly made a difference, we have fixed something, we have given hope to the future. And that should give everybody a lift and realise there is hope that we can fix stuff.”
He wants to get rid of the royal ivory: “Obviously I’d like to make a point that I don’t think that ivory is particularly cool and I don’t think it should be on mantelpieces and in people’s houses anymore.”
He’s all for shutting down illegal poachers: “If we allow current trends to continue, there will be no African elephants or rhinos left in the wild by the time my daughter Charlotte reaches her 25th birthday.”
Terrorism & poaching: “There are possible links to terrorism that are involved with poaching. You know it’s a very difficult subject for me to get involved in but there is definitely evidence out there…. In certain areas there is potential evidence and links that I can’t go into myself but I know of that are of a concern that I think we should be taking more urgent action.”
There’s a place for commercial hunting: “There is a place for commercial hunting in Africa as there is round the world. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea… So when one is infertile, he’s at the end of his life, if somebody out there wants to pay that money and it wouldn’t be me, but if somebody did then as long as that money goes back into protection of that species then it is a justifiable means of conserving species that are under serious threat.”
He could have waited longer but chose not to: “These sorts of things take a lot of time, they take a lot of planning and a lot of knowledge building, a lot of conversations. I didn’t want to get to 45 or 50 and sit back and say I could have said something about that issue but I didn’t because I worried about what people thought or what people said.”
I’m including some clips of the interview below. I don’t think William came across as terrible, but he didn’t come across as… I don’t know, proactive? Like, he’s not really announcing anything new, or launching some new, far-reaching initiative. He’s putting his stamp of approval on work that’s been in process for years/decades. You could say he’s “raising awareness,” which is always good, except that it definitely feels like William is more about raising awareness that he’s not just “work shy” and “throne idle.”
Prince William defends himself against 'work-shy' allegations https://t.co/Cej2MGrotM pic.twitter.com/cOOXvp4fsq
— ITV News (@itvnews) March 15, 2016
Prince William tells @itvnews trophy hunting is justified in certain circumstances #StopSlaughterhttps://t.co/b3cL4Wfp7G
— ITV News (@itvnews) March 15, 2016
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
Get a clue, Willie boy. Better yet, get a job. He’s using the poaching to deflect from what’s being said, to make it seem like he’s doing something. He’s trying to tug on the heartstrings of us animal lovers. Kudos to him for ‘taking a stand’ against poachers, the question now is: how active is he going to be in this anti poaching stand?
Never mind mentioning his daughter’s name to gain sympathy for the cause. He’s a clueless dolt. Most people see right through him at this point. Ridiculous.
And suggesting George might be “sort of a bum”??? What the hell is that? Honestly, William should stop talking about these children he doesn’t want the public to see.
“I definitely like to see George and Charlotte in Africa they’d have a wonderful time and I can see George being a bit of a bum sometimes out in the conservation world with his bangles and his sandals,”
Using their son to take a sideways swipe at Harry – who wears African beaded bracelets and just spent the summer *bumming around* flying helicopter missions against poachers? You know, doing something instead of talking about doing something.
Oh my, nas. I have a sinking feeling you might be right on that one. What a horrible thing to say if so.
He sees George (who is only a toddler) being a bit of a bum with bangles in Africa – I genuinely feel for poor little George in that family, where he is constantly put down. Yet, Wills would love his children to be interested in the subject of conservation, and to pursue the same ideas and aims that he is. Has he done this for his own father? – and the wonderful Duchy that was created? Or for the traditions of Britain and his ancestors?
I thought that comment from him was repulsive. On the one hand, I agree it sounds like it could be a swipe at Harry, and even if it’s not, George is only two! I would be so hurt if anyone talked about my own kids this way – but especially so if the comments were from their dad.
At first I thought he was trying to make it sound as if people should appreciate him more so than George because the King after him would be nothing more than a hippy slacker.
But now that notasugarhere mentioned a possible Harry connection, I’m thinking NAS is right. Harry got good press for his hands-on, in-the-field, conservation work over the summer.
………….
As for William saying that it’s part of the job to be called workshy, is it really? I’ve yet to see any interviewer ask the same thing of the Queen, Philip, or Anne.
…………
As for William giving the impression that he has super secret government info on how terrorists are benefiting from poaching or anti-conservation efforts, but he can’t tell the plebs exactly what he knows because that’s only for a select group of people to know, that wasn’t partly egotistical and self-serving, was it? O_o
So now he’s part of the fight against terrorism, right?
They’re not actually allowed to talk about anything political in public or have any sort of public political opinion, I think that’s what he’s referring to.
Saying that, f*** him and all the cretinous products of inbreeding that comprise the royal family.
The second I read the “bit of a bum” quote, I thought he was shading his brother. Harry has his limits, to be sure, but it’s just so gross to make jokes about your brother, who has done nothing to deserve it. And supports you to a fault.
How can someone who claims to be anti poaching and yet advocates ‘commercial’ hunting in the same breath. Stupid is as stupid does.
Talk about giving someone enough rope which is exactly what the press and the ‘Firm’ are doing. He wants to do it his way – and they are letting him.
Who is at the end of his life and infertile? The animal being hunted, the commercial hunter or Prince William?
Britain is a nation of extremely sentimental animal lovers. Except, of course, for the aristocratic hunting shooting set. That Bill could finally come out for a rehabilitative TV interview and use it to advocate that there’s a place for trophy hunting in conservation is, well, I’m truly lost for words. Tone deaf doesn’t even begin to approach it. Even if you could begin to make a rational case (and I’m like you; I don’t think there is one), the people he is trying to win over certainly won’t hear it. As LAK pointed out yesterday, the Fail’s comment section on this is utter carnage.
Gotsta love Normal Bill. He couldn’t be more useless if he tried.
But let’s take down all the carved ivory that has been on the mantel for the past 200 years before we go on our hunting trip to kill that old, infertile elephant (and who did a sperm count on the elephant?) because that will make a real difference in conserving the species. Clueless!
Unless William is telling us that he has some dread terminal disease that causes infertility.
It’s as though he actually believes any of we plebs could even give a toss about 200-year-old ivory on the mantelpieces of royal shut-ins! When dentists KILL CECIL. British people care about CECIL. And our doggies and our kitties.
Seriously, Lilac, wherever you stand on animal rights issues or conservation, I cannot even begin to tell you how clueless this interview was in the context of a British audience. Because I am evil, I cannot stop laughing!
His logic is stupid. But I suspect he thinks old ivory artifacts help drive demand for new ones. He thinks enough people admire aristo decor that it drives aspirational demand for new ivory. It’s another example of how insulated and self-involved he is.
If you’re laughing, then clearly Mr Sixer hasn’t filed for divorce yet.
As an Alaskan who lived off the land, I don’t have a problem with legitimate hunting for food, but this wankhole needs a come to Jesus meeting. With Catherine Cawood.
He’s still saying that she is his ideal woman, Nutballs. But I think he’s resigned himself to sticking with me, bless him. Like Catherine Cawood would give him a second look. Men and their delusions. From Normal Bill to Mr Sixer, they’re all useless.
I agree, MinnFinn. Bill has absolutely no awareness of his audience whatsoever.
ETA: Mr Sixer has come home for lunch and takes exception to my calling him useless. He’s making my lazy arse a sandwich to prove it.
Remember Brian Sewell’s quotes calling William’s plan a “menacing response”?
“The Prince has been very foolish and not thought this through… Destroying the ivory in the Royal Collection is not going to have any effect at all.”
“We have to recognize that these items exist. Ivory was a treasured material that was worked on by craftsmen of the highest order during the Renaissance …. It’s pointless. I can’t see the connection between saving elephants and destroying works of art made centuries ago.”
With regards to the rapidly declining numbers of african elephants: well make the tally one less if you want to deduct the one revolting prince phil shot on his and the queens 1961 visit to africa.I have seen the black and white photos online. Just 6 weeks later he formed the World Wild Life Fund with a Dutch cronie of his. This is a family of total hyporcrites. Phil also shot a white rhino too that same day. An animal which was on the offical endangered list in 1961. All whilst the queen was filming it with a super 8 camera for posterity. Bring on the republic and pass the bucket.
How do they know the elephant is infertile?
I wondered that too. Are they doing sperm counts? Or is this a female elephant Will is advocating for the slaughter?
I don’t know. Either way, it sounds fake.
Workshy Will doesn’t value the elders in his own family. Why would he recognize the importance elders have in elephant society?
@lilacflowers Elephants don’t go through menopause and eldest females are the leaders of the herd anyway so that can’t be right either.
I know I’m coming in to this late, but I found his statement so incoherent that I wondered whether perhaps he meant that infertile men would get a macho boost from hunting big game and fortify their sperm.
Or that men nearing the ends of their lives should have a ‘bucket list’ experience and be allowed to bag one before they kick off.
Apparently he meant it might be okay to shoot dead infertile or old animals.
That didn’t make it any better for me. But what do I know, I do things like visit donkey sanctuaries.
Yeah, you weirdo! 🙂
I’m surprised you didn’t put his quote about killing old and infertile animals as this story’s headline because I think it will get a lot of press and criticism from animal rights activists and lovers. He should have known better to say that but as all of us at Celebitchy know, he and his wife aren’t the brightest crayons in the box and are completely out of touch with reality. I wouldn’t be surprised if he secretly feels the same way about old and infirm human beings. He’s the one who is a useless twit who is a drain on his country’s resources. Should the British send him and his family to the guillotine as well? Total hypocrite.
It really, really will get a bad reaction. This side of the Pond, we really don’t have any working man hunting culture. The killing of animals is done by aristos in highly ritualistic ways (see: fox hunting) and the vast majority of the rest of us are renowned for being more sympathetic to animal causes than human causes. It’s completely bonkers that he could even think of saying this in an interview designed to deflect, not attract, criticism from a domestic audience.
Luckily for Bill, it’s the day our finance minister sets the budget and spending (or rather, cutting spending) programme for the following year, so all the talk will be about that today.
I have zero problem with real hunting (not that I would ever want to do it myself), but so much of the canned hunting seems like a lie. “Oh, they’re old and infertile.” And? Has Nature ever had a problem with end of life issues? Of course not. But some overgrown little boy wants a trophy. And while some argue that hunting is a better end than being attacked by a more dominant animal or starvation, I would say that not everyone is a great hunter and it takes days to track down the wounded animal.
Technically, what he’s describing isn’t canned hunting–that’s when you’re hunting an animal inside an enclosed space (like, chasing a gnu across 1000 acres).
What PW so ineloquently described is the practice of charging a bazillion dollars for hunting permits. And no, there is no way to know whether the animal is old or infertile or unhealthy–that was his attempt at making this sound more palatable. There’s no culling involved.
In the trophy hunting world, this is considered non-controversial and a good way to raise conservation funds via permit sales. It also theoretically cuts down on poaching by hobby hunters.
I don’t hunt for either food or trophies, but Mr. Golightly does so I hear about this regularly. I think the practice is barely tolerable, and can only imagine how off-putting it is to anyone who is hearing his rambling, mangled explanation.
The disconnect apparent when he says old, infertile animals should be hunted by commercial hunters and saying Cecil the lion’s death was a bad thing??!!! as i said yesterday, he is too dim to be allowed to play with dummies.
His revolting family fully believe in Eugenic policies.Make no mistake.
It would have been awesome if when he said its part of the job, he would have done big air quotes around “job”.
WTH is he talking about tho? The trophy hunting thing and justification he gives for it, I am no conservation expert but that sounds amiss.
He just wants to give everybody a lift and hope!
I seriously think his argument boils down too, make sure my kids can go on luxe safaris with Jecca’s kids someday. I don’t speculate that he is cheating with Jecca or anything, but he basically chose this issue because it was ready made with the Tusk Trust etc already in place.
I agree. His stated motivation comes off as being so elitist. Save the rhinos because we aristos want our kids to see them in the wild.
His demeanor in the first clip is really really smug i.e. Billy knows best. Billy is more enlightened than you plebs.
When you don’t show up even a quarter time to either of your part-time jobs, people will question your work ethic. The criticism goes with the job you’ve taken on of trying so hard *not* to work.
I’m impressed you guys have the stamina to watch the video. Not gonna happen. Hence, my takeaway from this is the glorious line “It’s part of the job, Mark.” (My husband’s name is Mark – he’s going to get real sick of my princeling delivery of said line.)
I have no intention of watching it either, however his adding ‘Mark’ to the end of the sentence is rather condescending – it sounds like he’s sarcastically pointing out the obvious to an idiot.
The press really hate these 2 and the public tide is turning – they only have themselves to blame. Him in particular with interviews like this.
Oh no no no I didn’t watch the video. 🙂 I can’t take that much William – I can barely look at still photos of the man.
Willie bucket constantly uses the word, OBVIOUSLY. Jeez, what a prick.
yes, that got me, too. it shows he does not hear or respect the criticism he has received, doesn’t understand where it is coming from and doesn’t see any validity in it. you can’t be that out of touch with people’s values and concerns and have a good relationship with them.
i hope the press take him down. enough of this.
He doesn’t sound very well informed to me. He sounds like someone that has sort of listened to the facts and is repeating the points he heard, but without any deeper understanding of the issues.
Can the Cambridges get some public spending training?
Bahahahaha omg what a typo! I meant public speaking training! They know what they’re doing on the other one! Lolol
either works.. lol!
Clearly he hasn’t inherited his mother talent to manipulate media and talk to public.
no. just her private moodiness.
@Shazbot
LOL! Him and his wife could teach a course on “public spending”.
Poaching, royal ivory.
I think poaching it’s a problem, but he sounds so superficial about the subject and I’d like to remember to his royal ass, that is mother was vocal about landmines.
Just saying.
I don’t think you should be allowed to kill any more elephants to get ivory or for any other reason, or to buy and sell any ivory that is not antique. That’s already the law in the US and I’m sure most other countries. But to get rid of priceless works of art in ivory is such an empty gesture to me. What good would that do? There are many beautiful antiques made of materials we would never use today. Should we just pitch them out, too? So stupid.
+1
Yes, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora makes it illegal in the US and all other signatory countries.
That’s just stupid. Those are historic artifacts. Most are also in the royal collection not private royal property. Not to mention destroying the existing pieces would drive UP the market for illegal poached ivory.
I don’t think the twit realises that the Royal Collection belongs to the people of the UK, NOT the royal family so good luck to him with that crusade. The royal family only hold it in trust for the nation. Destroying anything in that collection is breaking the law.
We are finally seeing the real normal bill – the one that the press reports says is ur typical out of touch country aristocrat. It has been said that his private political views/opinions are the very opposite of his public (or should I say press positive) ones. THIS is a prime example.
Re: his workshy ways – he’s basically admitted that he’s lazy and doesn’t care that we see it or call him out on it. The press and rest of the BRF are certainly giving him enough rope!!
You’ve said it all.
I just don’t think he is all that bright, at all. But I think he holds a high opinion of his own intelligence. Combine that with paid lackeys and his aristo friends blowing smoke up his butt, plus I’m sure Kate and the Middletons treat him like an oracle.
yes. that overestimation of oneself is a VERY dangerous place to be, though. it almost guarantees you will flat on your face. he isn’t wise, at all.
Love it how he is claiming to be driving this conservation gig. Other people do the heavy lifting. He is just a figure head.
Part time royal – OBVIOUSLY MARK, cause he is soooo busy with being a hands on father, his approx. 12 hr week pretending to fly air ambulence. Reading a few emailed minutes of the conservation meetings – if he wants to. Probably not half the time. Then untold time to lounge around eating cheese on toast made by mumma claroil midds who also lives at Amner.
As much as I would rather cut off my arm than shoot an animal for “fun”, he’s actually not wrong.
It’s been shown time and time again that a lot of countries where hunting takes place, particularly in Africa, simply don’t have the financial resources to protect their own animals and thus the fees they receive from legal hunting helps enormously with this. It also provides a very strong incentive for these funds to be diverted back to animal conservation and for countries to actually enforce laws protecting animals, as it ultimately leads to these countries earning more money (as more animals equals the possibility of ongoing hunting equals more money etc.). It’s also been repeatedly seen that if there is no legal hunting available, illegal hunting will continue, particularly in these countries which, again, lack the resources to fully police this. Being illegal, these fees go straight into the pockets of those organising these illegal hunts, with no benefits to the country and to animal conservation, which in turn encourages more to turn to these activities.
That said, I haven’t watched the whole interview so I have no idea if he explained his position properly. I would also think that it’s a pretty contentious issue (to put it mildly) at the best of times and doesn’t do much to silence those who think he’s merely standing up for the aristocracy’s right to shoot.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s 2011 study found that the money made from the big game hunting industry has no real effect on conservation efforts.
It reminds me of the argument Kate fans make about her “causes”. Just showing up makes a difference, like that HuffPo travesty. Provide me with the proof that her glossy photo ops have a positive significant effect on the charities and the causes. It’s as if anything can be found to rationalise and justify bad behaviour and a cold indifference to the plight of humans and/or animals.
There is too much corruption in Africa for it to ever trickle through to the animals.
P.S. Still hate that coat on Kate.
I didn’t like it, either. I really thought it was her mother from a quick glance.
Me too. I think it’s the fugliest one she’s ever worn.
There’s an article from the UK’s Mirror that lists stats, links, graphics, and reports that go against William’s belief that big game hunting is good for overall animal conservation. In fact, commercial trophy hunting makes it harder to protect the animals and its monetary benefits to fund conservation efforts are basically nil.
The interviewer asked William about Cecil the Lion right after William’s pro-big game hunting statement, and though William agreed that the killing was unforgivable, it shows how little William knew of the situation. The same Mirror’s article is titled ‘Cecil the lion was killed in the name of conservation – by an idiot who doesn’t know what it means.’ Ironically, that could refer to William as well as the dentist.
Wikipedia states that 72% of the lions tagged in Cecil’s same park area were killed by hunters. Why? Because as the Mirror article states, the conservation areas are surrounded by big game hunting areas and which the impracticability is supported by government officials who greedily pocket money made from handing out 5-figure big game hunting licenses as well as getting other kickbacks from the industry. This money source doesn’t go to the coffers of conservation efforts and whatever does is barely enough to make any difference. Also, remember that the killer dentist’s group lured animals, including Cecil, out of the park. The reality is that big game hunting creates loopholes that benefit hunters and money-making over protection of the animals. It only gives the illusion of being a revenue source for conservation funds, though in actuality, it isn’t.
William is straddling both sides of the fence on this issue. Keeping up the status quo of trophy hunting while trying to get credit for fixing the conservation issue. Yes, he said he can fix it. As if.
anne, thank you for doing this research and sharing it here!
@ notasugarhere
🙂 And thank you for all the informative and interesting posts you write. 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
‘…barely enough to make any difference’ should be ‘…not enough to make any difference.’
Yes. Agree.
If he wanted to make statement with impact he could have declared he was done with hunting (even legal as it somehow is). Imagine the impact that would have had! Instead he just says a lot of empty words to try to please everyone.
For once take a stand William!
You capture it well in your comment he is trying to appease all sides.
And @anne_000 that is very interesting about how money spend on trophy hunting doesn’t go to legitimate conservation coffers.
I live just a few miles from the Cecil-hunting dentist. I can totally see how William’s comments could be interpreted as pro- people of that ilk.
Tourmaline, “ilk” is a very appropriate word. I think Willie’s interest in preserving wildlife extends only as far as his self interests and those of his upper crust league of businessmen, so-called philanthropists, friends and relatives are concerned. Reportedly, Katie Bucket was shooting birds on her birthday this past January. Pippa, Lady of the Manor Carole, Edward and Sophie like to hunt, too. From what I’ve seen over the past 5 years, his influence on the Midds is nil, nevermind asking members of the BRF to give up their antiquated sporting habits.
Very informative, thank you.
🙂
Love it how Diana was landed gentry through and through with a pedigree that was expected to take part in blood sports but was clear minded enough at a young age in her early marriage to say she thought hunting was revolting. She never took part in it.
I could understand people hunting for food, specially if they live in a part of the world with really hostile climate (like Greenland). It’s people that hunt for fun and poachers that I don’t get. Who is William to say that an animal that cannot be productive to the animal kingdom should be shot down?
I agree William is “smug and smarmy”…. the interview was painful to watch.
I actually have resisted the view that he is “smug,” though it’s become quite a common opinion. I gave him the benefit of the doubt because I felt sorry for the tragedy he experienced. I’ve changed my mind. He is a smug character. I’m disappointed in him and in our society, I have to say, for allowing him to represent us in this way.
And it would seem he’s not a polite individual either. I watched video at the DM site- sp the arrival of William and Kate at the XLP appearance in London. Kate was seated in the back of the vehicle facing the opposite direction so she had to walk around the back of the vehicle to arrive at the greeting area. William exited the vehicle and didn’t wait for his wife. It was like she didn’t exist. Appalling.
Tom Sykes minced no words on the Daily Beast (was this a first, calling a royal outright “stupid?”): “William was stupid to try to make the complex argument for trophy hunting in a brief TV fireside chat, and the disastrous interview, which will be widely used against him, clearly points up the complete lack of control senior courtiers now have over William.”
Poaching should be stopped period. These animal populations need to recover 10 to 20 years before we can think about hunting them at all. Elephants in particular are so smart that it pains me do much to see the destruction we cause them. William is do lucky to have such a large platform but such an idiot because he truly knows nothing and doesn’t care.
I have no respect for him when there are actual groups trying g to make a difference and working hard everyday yo do it.
He is fast becoming a serious liability for the British monarchy.
Maybe his biggest achievement will be to end the monarchy, if he continues as he does.
I’ve tried to watch the interview twice and fell asleep both times.
I am flabbergasted at this:
“So when one is infertile, he’s at the end of his life, if somebody out there wants to pay that money and it wouldn’t be me, but if somebody did then as long as that money goes back into protection of that species then it is a justifiable means of conserving species that are under serious threat”
Elder ELEPHANTS, for example, are an essential part of the herd community long after fertility.
But that’s beside the point. Killing animals for ‘sport’ is fine if they are done reproducing? Such BS. I don’t see how hunts such as the one that killed Cecil are really much better than poaching.
If Richies want to stalk an animal so much, do a photo safari and prove some actual bravery.
I thought I couldn’t be more over him, but I am.
Good point.
See? I think is this just another bit of proof that William has no idea what he is talking about. He hunts animals that have no more sophisticated social structure than fowls or boars or whatever, so without further educating himself to what is supposed to be his number one cause, he thinks that all animals are just the same as those he personally hunts. So in his mind, it’s all the same effect whether you kill a partridge or lion or elephant, etc. Because that’s how intellectually lazy and disinterested he actually is.
An eagle eye on one of the blogs noticed the Fail story had a photo of William during his interview with a row of framed personal photographs in the background turned toward the wall so viewers couldn’t see the photographs. Does William’s privacy paranoia know no end?
I just came over here to post the same thing. In one of the pictures the photograph is placed behind a lamp. Wouldn’t it have been simpler to just turn the pictures around? In all seriousness and with concern, I’m starting to suspect, seriously and with concern, some mental illness.
i read through the first few comments, skimmed through the article & . . . .I just can’t. I was quite a fan of his mother, I admit, but I find this man deeply, deeply disappointing. It’s beyond irritation with him now, it’s just disgust. “It’s part of the job, Mark.” This attitude is revolting. You’re spoiled, William.
Remember back in 2009 when William slept rough in London for the Centrepoint charity? Perhaps he needs a few more nights of sleeping rough?
Willy is a clod. Destroying ivory artisanal work is useless.
Biggest market for ivory now is China. As a middle class develops there, people want, & buy, ivory as a status symbol previously available only to the wealthy. As African nations build infrastructure, many of the engineers & skilled work forces are Chinese. Proximity to the main source of ivory is an overwhelming attraction for many well-paid workers who buy it.
Maybe Will could fund research in tusk dyeing? He’d only have to raise money, not actually do anything. Dyed tusks have no value to ivory traders. https://staintuskstostopelephantpoaching.wordpress.com/
I’m wondering if all this bad press is the work of his dad’s team who are reportedly peeved he isn’t interested in the Prince Trust. There will be a time he will be expected to cut every ribbon on a new London building. Give him time. Give him a break.
Latest on the “elder animal” front, and how it is decided/who decides what animals are okay to kill (since someone mentioned fowls up above):
The world’s oldest wild bird is AGAIN the world’s oldest avian mom. She’s over 65yo, and her latest egg has just hatched her estimated 40th chick.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2016/02/10/at-age-65-wisdom-the-albatross-is-a-mother-once-again/#.Vuou23NMGBZ
But tell us again how you know when they’re done reproducing, Wills.
This always boils down to an anti(pro) hunting debate, yet poaching is a very different matter.. . Fishing is at least equally cruel, if not worse, but as it is a lot cheaper and more popular than hunting, it seems to get a pass. Is this really only about class and money after all?