His new BBC series, The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet, just started in the UK and sees the Prince scaling mountains, climbing to the top of a wind turbine and walking around the island of Orkney. Not only does he co-host with his mentor Sir David Attenborough, but he follows in the footsteps of his grandfather Prince Philip, who hosted several nature documentaries in the 1960s and ’70s, including narrating Australian documentary The Reef in 1977.But as William transitions from a reluctant TV interviewee to star, he’s also inevitably going head-to-head with his LA-based brother Prince Harry.The Duke of Sussex’s new career is centred around TV production. He and Meghan sealed a mega-deal with Netflix to produce a suite of programs, starting with Heart Of Invictus, which follows competitors on their journey to next year’s Invictus Games in The Hague.While it might seem a small step for the Queen’s grandsons, it’s a giant leap for the royal family, as the battling brothers change the channel. They’re also following their mother’s ambition – Diana, Princess of Wales had been excited about beginning a series of documentaries just before she died in 1997; the first was going to be about illiteracy. Diana famously wanted to modernise the monarchy. In her 1995 Panorama interview, she said, “I would like a monarchy that has more contact with its people,” and told Martin Bashir she hoped William and Harry would grow up to, “have an understanding of people’s emotions, people’s insecurities, people’s distress, and people’s hopes and dreams”. Not only did the duo have a deep understanding of people’s emotions, now her sons have taken that vision and turned it into TV reality. So which royal channel is for you? Here’s what to expect from TV Cambridge v TV Sussex.William’s environmental objectiveHe’s second-in-line to the throne, but his first priority is the environment. Continuing the work his father Prince Charles has done, William has decided to throw his former TV-caution to the wind farm, for the sake of the planet. His five-part series The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet, sees the Prince speak to finalists of the eco-competition he launched late last year with the Royal Foundation. “The modern world we have built is at odds with the planet we have built on,” William says in the show. “For the sake of future generations, let’s act now. A common goal to unite behind, to mend our broken relationship with our planet. It’s for this very reason that I launched the Earthshot Prize, the most ambitious environmental prize in history. A decade of action to repair our planet.”William recently announced 15 finalists for the prestigious prize and five winners will be revealed at a ceremony in London on October 17. They will each receive a £1 million prize, awarded, William says, to “those who we believe can transform our chances of repairing our planet within the decade”.Certainly, William looks like an accomplished presenter on the series and sounds very passionate. He’s all-action, speaking to camera off the back of a boat and on the top of a mountain, rather like a royal Ben Fogle.Insiders think it could be the start of a new sideline for the prince – at the forefront of environmental innovation in a way Charles, ironically so derided in the past for his organic ideals, could only dream of. Our prediction is this won’t be the last we see of the TV prince.Harry’s mental health missionOver in California, meanwhile, TV shows are central to Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s vision for their new life outside of the royal family, thanks to their multi-year deal with Netflix. After their explosive interview with Oprah in March, the pair’s focus is now on making TV shows, particularly promoting better mental health. Daily Telegraph – News Feed latest episodeFirst up was Harry’s Apple TV + series The Me You Can’t See, with Oprah, which featured celebrities including Lady Gaga and Glenn Close speaking openly about their mental health. Following that, Harry is making Heart Of Invictus, with The Invictus Games Foundation, which focuses on competitors as they train for the games in the Netherlands early next year.The deal covers a range of genres of programs that aim to give people hope, from documentaries to children’s shows. “Our lives, both independent of each other, and as a couple have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit: of courage, resilience, and the need for connection,” the pair said in a statement last year. “Through our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope. “As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us, as is powerful storytelling through a truthful and relatable lens.”It was announced Meghan is working on the animated kids’ series Pearl, following the adventures of a 12-year-old girl inspired by great women of history, alongside Rocketman’s David Furnish. But while Harry has done plenty of the talking so far, it’s expected former queen of the small screen, Meghan, will host her own show, too. Stay tuned…Got a news or entertainment tip? Email weekendtele@news.com.auNAT – Stay Informed – Social Media
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