Malta makes U-turn, says Prince George can keep 23-million-yr-old fossilised shark tooth

Britain’s Prince George can now keep his giant shark tooth fossil as Malta made a rapid u-turn and said they don’t intend to pursue the matter further. The fossilised shark tooth, which was gifted to the prince by veteran naturalist Sir David Attenborough, is 23-million-years old and was discovered by Attenborough in Malta when he was holidaying on the Mediterranean island in the 1960s.

Malta’s Culture Minister Jose Herrera had said that he would ‘set the ball rolling’ in retrieving the tooth. However, after facing a backlash, a spokesman for the minister told Times of Malta that “it is not (our) intention to pursue this matter any further”. When asked about the flap, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela said, “we should avoid creating unnecessary controversies”. 

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Critics of Herrera’s plan included the son of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Mathew, who wrote on Twitter that a “megalodon tooth costs $40 on eBay. Corruption has cost us billions of euros. I ask my government to prioritize and please get a grip on what’s important”. He further said that the minister should be campaigning to tackle graft rather than try to take a present from a child. 

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Attenborough gifts Prince George fossilised shark tooth 

Attenborough was visiting the royal palace for a private screening of his new documentary, A Life On Our Planet, when he gifted the seven-year-old prince the giant shark tooth from a carcharocles megalodon, a species that lived approximately 3 million years ago. Pictures released by the palace over the weekend showed Prince George looking intrigued as he inspected the tooth. 

Attenborough has been presenting shows for television since the early 1950s and is the only person to win the BAFTAs for programmes in each black and white, colour, HD, 3D, and 4K categories. Attenborough became the controller of BBC Two in 1965 and continued making shows on natural history and wildlife. Attenborough has received many accolades in his lifetime, including the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Fellowship of the Royal Society, Royal Victorian Order, Companions of Honour, and Order of Merit.

(With inputs from AP) 

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