Harry and Meghan lead tributes to Jane Goodall

The pair described her as 'a visionary humanitarian, scientist, friend to the planet, and friend to us'. Dame Jane, who was the world's leading expert on chimpanzee behaviour and defender of their habitat, was in California on a speaking tour when she died from 'natural causes'

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have paid tribute to chimpanzee expert and conservationist Dame Jane Goodall following her death at the age of 91.

The pair described her as “a visionary humanitarian, scientist, friend to the planet, and friend to us”. Dame Jane, who was the world’s leading expert on chimpanzee behaviour and defender of their habitat, was in California on a speaking tour when she died from “natural causes”. Harry, who forged a close bond with the famed primatologist, recalled in a joint statement with Meghan on Wednesday how Dame Jane held their son Prince Archie as a newborn baby and “showered love and care to those who were privileged to know her”.

Harry and Meghan told how they would deeply miss her, saying: “Dr Jane Goodall DBE was a visionary humanitarian, scientist, friend to the planet, and friend to us. “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.” The Sussexes welcomed Dame Jane to their then-home Frogmore Cottage in 2019 where she cuddled their baby son Archie, then just five weeks old. The duke went on to take part in a meeting of her Roots and Shoots youth empowerment project at Windsor Castle, and the two kept in touch over the years.

The conservationist recalled how they had “clicked” during their first encounter at Kensington Palace in December 2018.