Prince Harry steps up his new personal crusade on the damage humans are doing to the world

On this 10-day Africa Tour, we are learning more about Prince Harry and his priorities as he and Meghan begin a new chapter of their lives as a family.

And it appears the Duke of Sussex is on a new, personal mission to re-balance mankind’s relationship with the natural world.

I first noticed it last Thursday in Botswana when he spoke with passion about the indisputable science on climate change.

And he wasn’t afraid to say that all world leaders should accept the facts.

He didn’t mention Donald Trump and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro by name, but you don’t have to be a scientist yourself to figure out they are two presidents he had in mind.

It is rare for a member of the Royal Family to stray into politics - and that’s about as far as they will ever go.

On Monday Harry has expanded on his new crusade by writing a letter in the Daily Telegraph admitting we humans “are all part of the problem in some way”.

And it’s not afraid to put it bluntly: "We must overcome the human greed, apathy and selfishness.

“At the moment there is a total disconnect between the people and the land on which they live."

His view, he admits, might sound “hippy to some” but the natural order must be restored and “the symbiotic relationship between humans and wildlife” re-balanced.

Harry’s father, the Prince of Wales, has famously fought the conservation and environmental battle for the last five decades.

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And there was a line in Harry's script that reminded me of the many, many speeches I’ve read by Prince Charles on the threat to our planet.

"Nature teaches us about the importance of a circular system, one where nothing goes to waste."

I have listened to his dad say that sort of thing on a number of occasions.

So why is another member of the Royal Family picking up this green baton with such vigour?

It is, in part, because Harry has a real affinity for Africa and has been coming here for more than 20 years.

While the focus of world attention in recent months has been on the environmental damage being caused in Brazil, Harry feels that the fragility of Africa’s ecosystems has been getting overlooked.

The other reason is that a hereditary monarchy is not under the same short-term pressures as politicians.

In other words, the Royals, as Prince Charles has shown for many years, can afford to take a much longer view.

And climate change is one such example.

As Harry put it himself: "Conservation used to be a specialist area… now it is fundamental to our survival."