Prince William joined forces with TikTok science influencer Big Manny yesterday for a hands-on DNA experiment during his visit to NatureMetrics in Guildford, Surrey.
The Prince, 43, collaborated with Emmanuel Wallace, known to his followers as Big Manny, to extract DNA from a strawberry at the research facility.
The visit highlighted NatureMetrics’ recent success as 2024 Earthshot Prize finalists, having secured £25M in investment support through the Prize’s Launchpad platform.
Writing on the Earthshot Instagram page, William expressed excitement about how the investment would help scale NatureMetrics’ innovation globally to protect ecosystems worldwide.
Prince William joins forces with TikTok star as future King sparks fan frenzy
Instagram / Prince and Princess of Wales
During the experiment, which was shared on social media, Prince William playfully introduced himself as “Manny’s beautiful assistant” as they began their scientific demonstration.
The duo methodically worked through the DNA extraction process, with Manny explaining each step as they crushed the strawberry to release its cell contents.
The experiment involved mixing the crushed fruit with salt to neutralise the DNA, adding washing-up liquid to break down cell membranes, and using rubbing alcohol to precipitate the DNA.
Manny concluded the demonstration by explaining that strawberries are “octoploid,” meaning they contain eight of each type of chromosome in each cell.
Big Manny and Prince William extracted DNA from a strawberry
Instagram / Prince and Princess of Wales
NatureMetrics works to protect ecosystems worldwide through its environmental DNA technology.
The research group’s innovative approach involves extracting DNA from soil, rivers and air to better understand and protect nature.
The organisation’s work caught the attention of The Earthshot Prize, leading to their selection as 2024 finalists.
The Prince noted during his visit that their growth capital would help scale NatureMetrics’ technology globally.
The funding will enable the company to assist organisations in making smarter, more sustainable choices through their biodiversity mapping technology.
The collaboration between the Prince and the science influencer drew enthusiastic responses on social media.
“Love Prince William,” wrote one fan, specifically praising his “beautiful assistant” quip.
Another viewer noted William’s childlike enthusiasm, commenting on the “big kid glisten in his eye.”
“A perfect duo,” declared one commenter, calling for more videos of the pair explaining Earthshot finalists’ innovations.
Others praised the educational value, with one fan writing: “This is how children should learn, experimenting with trials and errors. Science should be alive not just be read out of a textbook!”
