Prince William of the United Kingdom has chastised some of the world’s wealthiest individuals for using their fortunes to bankroll a new space race and space tourism rather than addressing the problems on Earth.
On an interview with the BBC aired Thursday, William expressed his displeasure, a day after former “Star Trek” actor William Shatner became the oldest man to fly to space, in a rocket funded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
“Some of the world’s best brains and minds need to be fixed on trying to heal this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live,” William, the British throne’s second-in-line, said.
Shatner, who is best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the 1960s television series “Star Trek,” traveled into space with Bezos’ space travel business, Blue Origin, on Wednesday. Elon Musk and Richard Branson, both billionaires, are putting money into their own space plans.
“I have absolutely no interest in traveling that high,” William remarked when asked if he would desire to become a space tourist.