The Prince of Wales has paid a heartfelt personal tribute to David Attenborough ahead of his 99th birthday, calling him an inspiration to ‘my children and me’.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, William hailed the naturalist’s ‘lifetime of extraordinary service to our planet’.

He said: ‘May we all raise a glass to a true giant – and continue the mission he has led with such grace and urgency.’

In Sir David’s new documentary, Ocean, which airs in cinemas on Thursday – his birthday – he reflects on his mortality and what he has learnt from a lifetime studying the Earth, saying: ‘After living for nearly 100 years, I now understand that if we save the sea we save our world.’

Sir David is closely involved in William’s Earthshot Prize, which gives £1 million every year to five projects tackling climate challenges. 

He has also worked with King Charles on numerous environmental causes.

William added: ‘We celebrate not just a milestone of years, but a lifetime of extraordinary service to our planet. Through his boundless curiosity, gentle wisdom and unwavering commitment... he has brought the wonders of Earth into our homes and into our hearts.

‘His voice has become a guiding light in our understanding of nature, and his message – that we must cherish and protect our planet – has never been more vital.

‘He has inspired my children and me in so many ways.’

It was the response of his son Prince George to one of Sir David’s shows on extinction that inspired William to act on climate change.

The then seven-year-old told his father: ‘I don’t want to watch any more – why has it come to this?’

Later that year, Prince George and siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis put wildlife questions to Sir David in an interview filmed by their parents and released on social media.

Sir David’s new film focuses on the industrial fishing method of bottom trawling which, he says, is ‘draining the life from our oceans’.

He adds: ‘When I first saw the sea as a boy, it was thought of as a vast wilderness to be tamed and mastered for the benefit of humanity. Now, as I approach the end of my life, we know the opposite is true.

‘After living for nearly 100 years, I now understand that if we save the sea we save our world.’

Sir David is expected to make a rare public appearance at the London premiere of the documentary.