Prince Harry and Jane Goodall demonstrate chimpanzee greeting in sweet video
Britain's Prince Harry and renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall were captured on video greeting each other during an event Tuesday, but they didn't exactly shake hands. The pair performed a sweet chimpanzee "greeting" in front of a small crowd —who went bananas over the interaction.
Windsor Castle was hosting the Global Leadership gathering for Roots & Shoots, the conservationist's youth service organization Tuesday when Harry popped over for a visit. In a video posted to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Instagram, the royal is seen playfully demonstrating the greeting in front of a smiling audience, swaying while holding Goodall's hands as a small crowd claps.
The 85-year-old instructed Harry to "pat" her head in the clip and then she smiled, giving him a hug. Goodall taught Harry the charming greeting when they first met, according to the video's caption.
"Today's event was full of education, inspiration and fun," reads the caption. "Because working hard and playing hard are not mutually exclusive..." During the visit, Harry listened to presentations of endangered species, reducing plastic waste and embracing the wild. He also snapped a photo with the forward-thinking young people, according to another post on the couple's Instagram.
Harry has spoken out about climate change in the past and the couple's Instagram account even pledged to raise awareness of environmental issues in July, in a post late last month. "As a continuation of our monthly social awareness approach to shine a light on the accounts that are working towards positive change, for the month of July we turn our attention to the environment," reads the June 30th post.
Roots & Shoots was founded in 1991 by the beloved doctor with only 12 high school students in Tanzania, where she spent much of her life studying chimps, according to the royals' Instagram post. The organization now boasts the participation of tens of thousands of young people in almost 100 countries with, "a common desire to help make our world a better place," according to its website.
"This powerful, youth-driven network fosters a fun, flexible and supportive environment where young people come together to share ideas and inspiration, implement successful community service projects and participate in special events and international campaigns," states the group's site.
Goodall, after traveling to what is now Tanzania at the age of 26, was the first to discover that wild chimpanzees were capable of making and using tools, a revelation that turned the scientific world upside down by challenging the convention that tool making was what made humans unique. Over almost 60 years, she has fought for the need to protect chimps from extinction. Now she speaks all over the world about the threats facing the animals and environmental crises.
