Prince Harry shares what 'absolutely terrifies' him as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet grow up

During an event celebrating the fifth anniversary of his not-for-profit organisation Travalyst on September 24, the Duke of Sussex spoke about sustainable travel.

He also explained how parenthood heightened his concern for environmental issues.

In a speech, Prince Harry said: "Somebody born in 2020 is likely to experience eight times the number of heatwaves, four times the number of droughts, three times the number of crop failures, and three times the number of river floods than a person born in 1960.

Reflecting on his children, Harry admitted: "As a father of two, that's absolutely terrifying."

The organisation, partnering with major travel brands and technology companies, aims to transform the tourism industry by prioritising environmental and community welfare alongside economic growth.

Harry drew from his extensive experiences to illustrate the "double-edged sword" nature of tourism.

He described travel as "a force that has the potential to do tremendous good, or if mismanaged, inflict significant harm".

The duke added: "We're expecting 1.8 billion international arrivals each year, nearly double the numbers we saw just two decades ago.

"That kind of growth can only be sustainable if we prioritise not just profit, but people and places too."

Speaking of the impact of climate change on communities, the Duke of Sussex said: "The level of suffering is heartbreaking and the cumulative cost of recovery has us permanently on the back foot."

The duke also stated there was a "vital need" for a balanced approach to travel that considers the impact on local communities and ecosystems.

Travalyst's initiatives include developing tools to estimate flight emissions and helping travellers make eco-friendly choices.

Prince Harry also spoke about his children during several other Climate Week events, revealing during his Clinton Global Initiative speech that Archie and Lilibet feature in the photo on his phone's lock screen.

He also shared how his children gave him a greater drive to make a change at a reception for The HALO Trust, a landmine clearance charity that was close to his mother, Princess Diana's, heart.

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Harry spoke of the trip he took to the same Angolan minefield visited by his mother in 1997: "Much has changed in my life and the world since 2019 when I first visited Huambo.

"In those five years I’ve become a father for the second time.

"And while you don't need children to have a stake in the future of our planet, I do know that my mother would have been horrified that anyone’s children or grandchildren would live in a world still infested with mines."