King Charles III's Documentary Sets Out His Philosophy for Saving the Planet
King Charles III is clearly thinking about his legacy as he approaches his eighth decade. In his new documentary film, Finding Harmony: A King's Vision, the monarch delivers a powerful and simple message that humanity must restore the balance between people and nature to address global warming and other critical world problems.
A Vision of Harmony Between Humanity and Nature
Helping to spread this environmental gospel is what Charles hopes will define his lasting impact. The film spells out the king's core philosophy that humans will only truly thrive when they learn to work with nature rather than against it, recognising that people are as much a part of the natural world as animals, insects, and trees.
In the documentary's closing moments, Charles reflects on this interconnectedness, stating: It all boils down to the fact that we are actually nature ourselves, we are a part of it, not apart from it, which is really how things are being presented for so long. He then turns to Shakespeare, adding: Maybe, by the time I shuffle off this mortal coil, there might be a little more awareness of the need to bring things back together again.
Addressing Past Criticisms and Mockery
The film also provides Charles with an opportunity to confront those who have lampooned him throughout his public life as a dilettante flitting aimlessly between causes. Instead, the documentary argues that climate change, urban planning, sustainable agriculture, traditional crafts, and interfaith understanding are all inter-related issues that must be addressed collectively to create truly sustainable communities.
Narrator Kate Winslet reveals that Charles was haunted by press coverage that mocked him for his famous 1986 television interview where he admitted talking to his plants. Ian Skelly, co-author of the king's 2010 book Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World, comments: Those criticisms really upset him. He got treated very unfairly, seen very unfairly, and those of us that knew him better were quite upset by that. It was difficult to know how to respond, but I really felt for him.
A Lifelong Environmental Campaign
Charles has been campaigning on environmental issues since at least 1971 when he delivered his first conservation speech as an undergraduate at the University of Cambridge. His environmental credentials include founding a successful organic food company and helping to establish a sustainable village in western England.
Environmentalist Tony Juniper, who collaborated with the king on both the film and book, believes Charles is uniquely positioned to deliver this message because he began speaking out on environmental concerns long before they became mainstream and continues his advocacy even as other world leaders prioritise energy security and economic growth over environmental protection.
I do feel as though the world is now hungry for some new big ideas, Juniper said. And I do hope that one of those big ideas that people would like to consider as we face into these multiple challenges of the 2020s and beyond is the idea of harmony.
Streaming Platforms Offer New Global Reach
While Charles first articulated his harmony concept sixteen years ago in his book, he returns to the theme now partly because streaming platforms like Amazon Prime provide unprecedented opportunities to reach global audiences. The documentary premiered at Windsor Castle near London with a red-carpet event attended by celebrities including narrator Kate Winslet.
Shifting Focus Back to Environmental Legacy
According to royal historian Ed Owens, author of After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?, the king also wants to redirect public attention toward the issue he hopes will define his legacy after two years dominated by other matters. These distractions included his cancer diagnosis in early 2024, which forced him to step back from public duties and raised questions about his health, along with continuing family tensions involving Prince Harry and the scandal surrounding Prince Andrew's connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
He wants to set out what his legacy is as a monarch, Owens explained. This is about him giving us a clear indication of what he thinks matters in terms of his public image and persona, what he wants us to take away from him as his defining characteristics.
With Charles apparently past the worst of his cancer treatment and Andrew stripped of royal titles, the timing may be right to turn a new page and focus on environmental advocacy. Finding Harmony: A King's Vision will be available globally on Amazon Prime from February 6th, offering viewers worldwide insight into the monarch's decades-long environmental philosophy.
