Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are among the many public figures honoring the life of renowned conservationist Jane Goodall, who died on Oct. 1 at the age of 91. The Jane Goodall Institute confirmed her passing, announcing that she died of natural causes in Los Angeles while on her speaking tour.
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Remember Jane Goodall’s Legacy
“Dr. Jane Goodall DBE was a visionary humanitarian, scientist, friend to the planet, and friend to us,” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement obtained by People. “Her commitment to changing lives extends beyond what the world saw, and also to what we personally felt. She held our son, Archie, when he was first born, and showered love and care to those who were privileged to know her. She will be deeply missed.”
Goodall, known worldwide as the leading expert on chimpanzees, spent decades conducting groundbreaking research in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park. Her discoveries on social interaction and personalities within chimpanzee communities transformed scientific understanding and helped bridge the gap between humans and the natural world.
Jane Goodall’s Friendship with Prince Harry & Meghan Markle
According to The Independent, Harry and Goodall first met in December 2018 when he invited her to Kensington Palace to discuss shared environmental concerns. The following year, she visited the couple at Frogmore Cottage, where she recalled meeting baby Archie. “He was very tiny and very sleepy,” Goodall told the Daily Mail’s Weekend Magazine. “Not too pleased to be passed from his mummy.”
Their friendship deepened when Goodall attended the Roots & Shoots youth program’s Global Leadership Meeting at Windsor Castle in June 2019. During the event, Harry playfully reenacted the “chimpanzee greeting” she had taught him, and the two shared an impromptu dance that captured headlines.
Goodall was also honored by Harry’s father, King Charles, who knighted her in 2004 when he was the Prince of Wales. Over the years, she maintained her influence through tireless advocacy and public speaking, becoming one of the rare scientists to achieve global celebrity status.
Remembering Jane Goodall: Tributes Pour In
The Jane Goodall Institute praised her legacy in a statement: “Dr. Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world. [Her] life and work not only made an indelible mark on our understanding of chimpanzees and other species, but also of humankind and the environments we all share. She inspired curiosity, hope and compassion in countless people around the world, and paved the way for many others.”
Prominent figures such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas, Al Roker, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Hillary Clinton also paid tribute, calling Goodall a tireless champion for the planet and an inspiration to future generations.
Goodall’s life’s work—spanning research, advocacy, and education—remains a guiding light for conservation efforts worldwide.
