Prince Charles admits he has watched the Australian bushfires take its course in “appalling horror”
Prince Charles has released an emotional video message for Australians as the country battles bushfires all over the nation - revealing that he has been watching “the appalling horror… in despair”.
The royal has long made an effort to warn about the effects of climate change, and in this statement said the scope of the loss was “not to be believed possible”.
He went on to say that both he and the Duchess of Cornwall had kept the “remarkable, courageous, determined firefighters who have done much and worked ceaselessly to exhaustion” in their thoughts.
In a heartfelt tribute recorded at Birkhall, the Prince’s home in Scotland, he praised the resilience of the Australian people and expressed confidence that “despite the horror” they would “find a way to face it all and win through.”
Intense blazes have ruined and destroyed 8.4 million hectares – an area larger than Scotland - of Australian bushland.
The drought and record high temperatures that have contributed to ravage Australia, and have been since the start of its summer have led to the deaths of as many as half a billion wild native animals.
To address Australia directing, the Prince said: “I fear this is a hopelessly inadequate way of trying to get a message to all of you that both my wife and myself are thinking of you so very much at such an incredibly difficult time and in such impossible and terrifying circumstances.
“Both of us have been in despair the last several weeks watching this appalling horror unfolding in Australia and witnessing so much of what you are having to go through from this distance.
“Those of you who have tragically lost your properties, your houses, everything.. to me it is, and to both of us, not to be believed possible. And I know how many houses have been lost.”
He added: “Above all, we wanted to say how much we have been thinking of all those remarkable, courageous, determined firefighters who have done much and worked ceaselessly to exhaustion.
“We feel so deeply for the families of those who have been lost and lost their lives in the course of carrying out their remarkable duties as only they can do.
“We also think of all the Australian wildlife that is destroyed in these appalling infernos, let alone everything else.
“We both know how incredibly special and resilient the Australian people are.
So I know at the end of the day, despite all this horror, you will find a way to face it all and win through.
“All I can say is we are thinking of you and praying from you in the most determined way. I’m very proud to know you all.”
Prince Charles is launching a new aim sometime throughout January to find solutions to the carbon emissions issue the world is facing.
The Sustainable Markets Council will bring together leading international figures from the private, public and philanthropic sectors to identify ways of “decarbonise the global economy” and make the transition to sustainable markets.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall last visited Australia in April of 2018, where they travelled throughout the Northern Territory and Queensland.
Scroll through the gallery to see the royal couple’s travels through Australia in 2018.
OverSixty, its parent company and its owners are donating a total of $200,000 to the Vinnie’s Bushfire Appeal. We have also pledged an additional $100,000 of product to help all those affected by the bushfire crisis. We would love you to support too! Head to the Vinnie's website to donate!