Prince Harry says he only wants two kids ‘maximum’ for this reason

Prince William has three kids, but don’t expect his younger brother to follow in his footsteps. The Duke of Sussex says he and the former Meghan Markle are planning on only having two children, maximum.

As CNN reports, the comment was made during Prince Harry’s interview with renowned scientist Jane Goodall for a special edition of British Vogue (the edition that his wife guest-edited).

The theme of the issue is “Forces for Change” and during Harry’s talk with Goodall they discuss how to change attitudes about protecting the planet our children will inherit. Goodall is concerned about humanity’s desire for “unlimited economic development on a planet with finite natural resources,” and Harry shares her concerns. In fact, he says he’s been thinking even more about this since baby Archie came into the world.

“I view it differently now, without question,” he said. “But I’ve always wanted to try and ensure that, even before having a child and hoping to have children…”

At that point Goodall interrupted him. “Not too many!” she said with a laugh.

“Two, maximum,” Harry told her, adding that this choice to only have two children is because he’s always believed that the earth is borrowed and that we need to leave something better behind for the next generation.

Harry is not the only one thinking about this. According to Quartz, some millennials are choosing not to have children or to postpone getting pregnant because climate change is such a concern for them, and polls suggest that about 38% of young Americans believe climate change should be a factor in the decision about whether to have children.

As NBC News reports, groups like Conceivable Future, a women-led organization, are drawing attention to “the threat climate change poses to reproductive justice” and why some women are choosing not to have the children they want.

As Motherly reported last year, about half of today’s young adults want fewer kids than their parents, and climate change is a factor in this equation. While three children were considered ideal decades ago, according to a 2018 Morning Consult survey by The New York Times Americans (like Prince Harry) now think two kids is the ideal number.

Of course, climate change is not the only factor at play here. Housing, childcare and personal circumstance are all huge considerations for parents or would-be parents who are trying to decide how many children they will have. But for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, costs of living are not a concern, but the cost to the planet is.

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