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Prince William's special gifts from the Queen and Prince Philip revealed

The organisations align with the Duke of Cambridge's conservation and environmental work

Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
October 19, 2020
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The Duke of Cambridge is incredibly close to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, and on Monday it was announced that his grandparents have passed down two of their patronages to their grandson.

Prince William, 38, has followed in the Queen's footsteps to become the figurehead of Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and takes over from Prince Philip as patron of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

They are very fitting patronages for the Duke, who recently launched the Earthshot Prize to find solutions to repair the planet over the next ten years.

READ: Kate Middleton could be leaving London this week - here's why

WATCH: The Queen and Prince William publicly reunited for first time in seven months

FFI focuses on protecting biodiversity, which underpins healthy ecosystems and is critical for the life-support systems that humans and all other species rely on.

It protects threatened species and ecosystems worldwide, choosing solutions that are sustainable, based on sound science and that enhance human well-being.

Operating in more than 40 countries worldwide, FFI is also a founding member of William's organisation, United for Wildlife, and was recently announced as Global Alliance Partner of The Earthshot Prize. The Queen has been patron of FFI for almost seven decades.

Meanwhile, The British Trust for Ornithology aims to empower communities to protect local bird species and their natural habitats in order to ensure they are preserved for generations to come, whilst also working to promote the benefits of the natural world on our health and wellbeing. The Duke of Edinburgh held the role of patron for over 30 years.

MORE: The Queen wows in sapphire tiara and wedding jewellery for rare official portrait

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The Queen and William visited the Dstl together last Thursday

The Duke of Cambridge was publicly reunited with the Queen as they visited the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), near Salisbury on Thursday.

It marked the first time the 94-year-old monarch has carried out an engagement outside a royal residence in seven months amid the coronavirus crisis.

Prince Philip, who turned 99, has remained living at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate after the Queen returned to Windsor Castle earlier this month. The Duke retired from public duties in August 2017.

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