The King and Queen, along with Sir David Beckham, have led birthday tributes celebrating Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday. The milestone on Friday came after a week of birthday messages poured in for the beloved environmentalist.
Royal Tributes
Charles and Camilla shared a carousel of photographs of Sir David on the official royal family Instagram account. The caption read: "Wishing Sir David Attenborough a very happy 100th birthday. Enjoy your special celebration this evening!"
Celebrity Tributes
Former England footballer Sir David Beckham also marked the environmentalist's big day with a post on his Instagram account, captioning it: "Happy 100th Birthday to our National Treasure."
A number of stars, including Morgan Freeman, Dame Judi Dench, and Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner, have joined in the celebration and teamed up with conservation charity WWF, lending their voices for a moving birthday tribute. The one-minute-long video, which includes Sex Education star Asa Butterfield, Merlin star Miranda Richardson, and presenter Liz Bonnin, features a spoken word reinterpretation of the Louis Armstrong classic What a Wonderful World. Outlander's Sam Heughan and Misfits actor Iwan Rheon also contributed.
Personal Reflections
Halliwell-Horner paid tribute, saying: "Sir David Attenborough has inspired me through his storytelling and passion. He's inspired and shaped the way myself and my children understand wildlife and nature." Butterfield added: "Sir David has inspired me for as long as I can remember... the joy, peace and love that it can bring." Rheon described Sir David's programmes as his "gateway into nature."
Broadcaster Ben Fogle also paid tribute, calling him "the most important teacher, guide, informer and communicator in my life." In an Instagram post, he shared images of himself and Sir David in similar poses, including with a meerkat on their shoulders, and described him as a "national treasure" and "role model."
Upcoming Celebration
The tributes come ahead of a live event at the Royal Albert Hall, featuring music from Sir David's programmes along with stories and reflections from public figures. Sir David said in a recorded audio message that he was "completely overwhelmed" by the birthday greetings and thought it would be celebrated quietly.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously said: "He is a true national treasure and a pioneer in his field – may his work continue to inspire people of all ages for years to come."
Royal Albert Hall Event
The celebration, hosted by Kirsty Young and broadcast on BBC One, will include performances from musicians featured on Sir David's Planet Earth series. Dan Smith of Bastille will perform Pompeii with the BBC Concert Orchestra, while Sigur Ros will play Hoppipolla. The orchestra will perform scores from iconic moments like the snakes and iguanas chase from Planet Earth II and the orcas sequence from Frozen Planet II. There will also be music from Sienna Spiro and harpist Francisco Yglesia, playing a piece from Sir David's first wildlife programme, Zoo Quest.
Other Tributes
The Piccadilly Lights were taken over by BBC studios with a birthday message. The Natural History Museum's immersive exhibition Our Story With David Attenborough will be shown at Outernet London. Environmental charities also marked the milestone: Peta renamed a bull to Sir Attenbullock, and the NHM named a new wasp species Attenboroughnculus tau after Sir David.
David Attenborough's 100 Years On Planet Earth will air on May 8 at 8.30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
