Prince William: Trophy hunting justified in some circumstances

  • Watch ITV News' Mark Austin's full interview with Prince William.

Prince William has insisted so-called trophy hunting of animals is justified in certain circumstances.

The Duke of Cambridge has faced criticism in the past for going on deer and wild boar hunting trips while making high-profile pleas to stop the illegal wildlife trade.

Speaking exclusively to ITV News, William said commercial hunting - while "not everyone's cup of tea" - could positively impact efforts to save endangered species.

"So when one is infertile, he’s at the end of his life, if somebody out there wants to pay that money - and it wouldn’t be me - but if somebody did, then as long as that money goes back into protection of the species then it is a justifiable means of conserving species that are under serious threat," he told Mark Austin.

  • Links between terror and poaching

William said there is a link between poaching and terrorism and called for "urgent action" to break any connection between the slaughtering of endangered animals and the funding of acts of terror.

"In certain areas there is potential evidence and links that I can’t go into myself but I know of that are of a concern that I think we should be taking more urgent action."

  • George and Charlotte

Prince William joked that he could see George "being a bit of a bum out in the conservation world with his bangles and his sandals", as he expressed hope that his children follow in his footsteps in campaigning for the protection of endangered species.

"I definitely like to see George and Charlotte in Africa they’d have a wonderful time and I can see George being a bit of a bum sometimes out in the conservation world with his bangles and his sandals," William, who is president of United for Wildlife and patron of the Tusk Trust, said.

"But I think I’d love them to be interested in the subject and pursue the same sort of ideas and aims that I am."

  • Ivory in the palace

The future heir to the throne was reported to have told one journalist that he would "like to see all the ivory owned by Buckingham Palace destroyed".

William played down the comment but said: "I don't think ivory is particularly cool and I don't think it should be on mantel pieces and in people's houses any more."

  • Stop the Slaughter

ITV News is reporting this week from Kenya, South Africa, Malawi and Laos on the battle to save the rhino and the elephant from extinction.

Read more on the #StopSlaughter series.