Prince William halts family break to issue emotional message

Prince William has interrupted his summer break with his family to issue an emotional message to mark World Ranger Day. The Prince of Wales took to his official social media accounts on Thursday to share a message along with one of his charities, United for Wildlife, and pay tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives while on the job.

A message on social media read: "1400 rangers have died in the last ten years, that's about two a week. They're unseen and unheard of. So many of these cases get forgotten about, they don't get reported, people don't see them.

"We all care about our natural world, but we sometimes lose that connection with actually what it's like living and working in that space."

William's post was captioned: "Every Ranger remembered. Every legacy carried forward.

"This World Ranger Day, we pause to honour those who lost their lives protecting wildlife and wild places. Their courage continues to shape the future of conservation.

"We honour their sacrifice and recognise real and ongoing risks faced by those on the frontline of conservation. Their stories matter. Their mission lives on."

The post included pictures with all the names of the rangers killed on duty in the last 10 years.

The heir's statement was dated May 20, 2025, when he initially shared a message following the deaths of two rangers in Mozambique.

William said at the time: "This attack is yet another brutal reminder of the immense sacrifices made by those protecting our natural world.

The reality is that being a ranger has become one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet. My thoughts are with all those affected and their families. W."