The rock legend and the Prince of Wales bond over conservation efforts and music at the prestigious London event.
At the Tusk Conservation Awards in London, Ronnie Wood, the iconic Rolling Stones guitarist, may have gained a new fan in the Prince of Wales after tempting him with tickets for next year’s Rolling Stones tour. The two met during the event, which honours outstanding figures in wildlife conservation, a cause both men have long supported through the Africa-based charity, Tusk Trust.
Prince William, who is a patron of the charity, spoke passionately about the importance of the event, saying, “Evenings like this provide the vital impetus to effect positive change,” while celebrating the efforts of conservationists, from rangers to community leaders. Wood, at 76 years old, was keen to chat with the prince not just about wildlife but also about the Rolling Stones’ latest music.
During their conversation, Wood mentioned the band’s upcoming tour, inviting the future king to join them. “We were talking about the tour and I said ‘come on, you’ve got to come out on tour,’” Wood recalled. The guitarist also spoke about the band’s new album Hackney Diamonds, and the prince expressed his interest. When Wood mentioned that pop sensation Taylor Swift had sung with Mick Jagger, William joked, “I’m there then.”
Wood, with his fellow band members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, all of whom have a combined age of over 200, lightheartedly noted the need to discuss conservation, saying, “We had to talk about conservation – with an old band like ours.”
The Tusk Awards, held at the prestigious Savoy Hotel, are dedicated to recognising those working tirelessly to protect Africa’s wildlife and ecosystems. At the event, Wood and his wife, Sally Humphreys, also showcased life-sized models they had decorated for Tusk’s gorilla trail art project. These models, part of an installation in Covent Garden, helped raise over £130,000 for Tusk’s efforts.
Among the distinguished awardees was Fanny Minesi, director of Friends of Bonobos of Congo, who received the Conservation in Africa award for her work in rescuing endangered bonobos from poachers and reintroducing them to the wild.
In his speech, Prince William highlighted the challenges posed by climate change, particularly for Africa, which, despite contributing only a quarter of global emissions, faces disproportionate impacts from the warming planet. “But we do have the power to change this,” he remarked, emphasising the hope and optimism reflected in the conservation work celebrated that evening.
