David Attenborough's life from wife's tragic death and rarely seen ...

Sir David Attenborough has marked a milestone birthday as he reaches the grand age of 97. The much-loved historian has been a household name for decades and is well-known for his mesmerising voice and knowledge on his fascinating documentaries on the planet.

The star has dedicated his life to nature and inspiring generations of people to care more about the planet. Despite being in the public eye, David has kept his private life out of the limelight.

To mark Sir David's 97th birthday we take a look at some of the hidden parts of his personal life from his impressive net worth to surprise royal link.

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Is David Attenborough vegan?

Many David Attenborough fans have wondered if Sir David is a practising vegetarian or vegan for years. In a previous interview the TV legend revealed his diet. Speaking after the launch of the Netflix documentary film, A Life On Our Planet, which he has called his witness statement, he said he is not a strict follower of a vegetarian or vegan diet.

However he said that he eats very little meat at all and lost the taste for it when he gained understanding of how its production methods negatively impact the planet.

Heartbreaking loss

David was married to his wife Jane Oriel for almost half a century before she sadly died in 1997. The star previously made a few comments about his love since her passing. In his memoir Life on Air, he shared Jane's final moments with fans, explaining how he flew back from a job to be with his wife when she was in a coma.

The star came back from New Zealand to hold Jane's hand, though she sadly passed away after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

Talking about her, David said: "The focus of my life, the anchor had gone… now I was lost." He also previously told the Radio Times: "You accommodate things… you deal with things. I'm quite used to solitude in the wilds but, no, an empty house is not what I enjoy. But my daughter's there. In moments of grief – deep grief – the only consolation you can find is in the natural world."

Rarely-seen kids

Many David Attenborough fans may not know that the star has two children with his late wife Jane. The couple share a son called Robert and a daughter called Susan.

After the loss of Jane, his daughter moved in to live with him. Little else is known about them, as they appear to both have opted for a life away from the glare of the camera lens, Daily Star reports.

The BBC icon has spoken openly about wishing he was around more for his kids when they were young. Talking to Louis Theroux in Radio Times, David said: "If I do have regrets, it is that when my children were the same age as your children, I was away for three months at a time.

"If you have a child of six or eight and you miss three months of his or her life, it’s irreplaceable, you miss something."

Royal link

David has a surprising link to the Royal Family and is said to have been friends with Her Majesty the Queen. They both worked together during a special documentary titled The Queen's Green Planet.

Her Majesty also gave Sir David his knighthood and has also been in receipt of an Order of Merit, which is a personal appreciation chosen by the Queen herself.

Net worth

David has been one of the highest-paid people at the BBC, according to the corporation's public disclosures. He has a net worth of $15m (£11,868,030), according to Celebrity Net Worth.

David also reportedly earned over £1.3m last year, having pocketed more than £3,000 a minute for appearing in critically acclaimed nature series.

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