Duke of Sussex suggests coronavirus was rebuke from mother nature

The Duke of Sussex suggested that the coronavirus pandemic was a rebuke from mother nature as he urged everyone to "be a raindrop" and repair the Earth.

Throwing his weight behind a new Netflix-style streaming platform for climate documentaries, the Duke said it was vital that viewers were "uplifted, educated and inspired" to take action. He said tbecoming a father had made him query the point of having children if the world they inherited was "on fire".

He was in conversation with Ellen Windemuth and Sam Sutaria from Waterbear, a new online platform offering free content from more than 80 charities and NGOs worldwide.

Speaking in his capacity as president of African Parks, he said: "Every single raindrop that falls from the sky relieves the parched ground. What if every one of us was a raindrop? If every single one of us cared? We do, because we have to, because at the end of the day nature is our life source.

"Being in nature is the most healing part of life. I truly believe that's one reason why it's there."

The Duke, making his first public appearance since the Duchess of Sussex revealed she had suffered a miscarriage, reflected on what had been "a universally tough year for everybody".

He said: "Somebody said to me at the beginning of the pandemic, it's almost as though mother nature has sent us to our rooms for bad behaviour to really take a moment and think about what we've done. It's certainly reminded me about how interconnected we all are, not just as people but through  nature. We take so much from her and we rarely give a lot back."

The Duke, who has been criticised in the past for his use of private jets, said people needed to know how they could help to save the planet, adding: "For me, it’s about putting the dos behind the says.

"There are so many documentaries… and I always imagine, whether it's an individual, couples, families, whatever, sitting there watching this stuff and going, 'OK, you’ve now just made me more aware of a global issue, now I'm quite depressed, I'm going to make myself a meal and probably forget about it.'

"With Waterbear, we have all of that content in one place and to be able to have that option at the end as a call to action, because people want to know how can I make a difference, how can I help?"

The Duke went on to describe his love of Africa, laughing about having to dance on camera, which he described as his "idea of hell", during his visit with the Duchess  and reminiscing about his first visit, shortly after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

"I don't know what it is but there's something in the air that ends up running in your blood," he said. "No matter what experience you have, it just pulls you back. You want to be back there again. I first travelled there when I was 12 or 13 years old, straight after I lost my mum, and the sense of escapism and space that this continent of Africa afforded me is something that I will be eternally  grateful for.

"The smiles and the enjoyment and the energy of life that these communities have, it's so different from the way that everybody over here lives. I just think it's really powerful."