Iceland’s president, who was described as “super fit” by the Princess of Wales during a shop visit, is an adventure sports fan known for his outspoken stance on social and environmental issues and hopes to become a Conservative MP.
Richard Walker caught Kate’s eye with a toned physique as he discussed his upcoming charity climb of Everest to raise money for the Alzheimer’s charity – prompting the royal to reveal their curvy side as they pay tribute to his physique.
The 42-year-old, whose father Malcolm founded the frozen food chain and boasts a family fortune of around £250m, formally took over as chief executive at the start of the year after previously serving as managing director.
Mr. Walker, who has two children with his wife Rebecca, studied geography in Durham before qualifying as a chartered surveyor. After a period working in real estate, he joined the family business in 2013 as its International Business Manager.
In 2018, Walker made headlines when Iceland pledged to stop using single-use plastic in its packaging by 2023. His 2021 book The Green Grocer revealed his thoughts on moral capitalism and drew praise from activist Chris Packham.
Iceland’s President Richard Walker, 42, who was hailed by the Princess of Wales for being ‘extremely fit’ ahead of his charity climb of Mount Everest, is incredibly active in his private life and celebrated his 40th birthday surfing in Cornwall (pictured)
The Princess of Wales spoke to Mr. Walker in one of Aylesbury’s supermarkets
Mr Walker has previously revealed that one of his favorite hobbies is climbing, posting a picture of himself rock climbing in Anglesey on Instagram
The businessman has also become a frequent commentator on social issues, criticizing Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak for their ‘no-baked’ response to the cost-of-living crisis.
Mr Walker’s attempt to combine ‘profit with purpose’ in Iceland has earned him praise, and led to an OBE for Business and Environmental Services in the 2022 birthday party.
But he encountered some setbacks along the way. He admitted last year that he would fall short of his goal of making Iceland plastic-free, telling The Guardian it would be “too much of an ask”.
Still, he stuck to his gun and said he didn’t regret the pledge, claiming he wanted his workforce to aim.
While he claims to drive an electric car, he has also been criticized for alleged “hypocrisy” about using a company helicopter while touting the company’s commitment to sustainability.
As Mr Walker spoke with the Princess of Wales in a discussion as part of her Shaping Us campaign, he looked down on the ease in the royal family’s company – which may partly be due to the fact that he’s met senior royals before.
In 2021, the entrepreneur — who is also chair of the Surfers Against Sewage campaign group — showed King Charles around an Iceland store in Deeside, Wales, to discuss business during the pandemic.
The King and Mr Walker were pictured walking down the aisle wearing face coverings, suggesting the risk of contracting Covid remained high at the time.
He also attended Buckingham Palace with his father for his inauguration in 2017.
Richard Walker is not only President of Iceland, but also Chairman of Surfers v. Sewage
Richard Walker caught Kate’s eye with a toned physique as he discussed his upcoming charity climb of Everest to raise money for an Alzheimer’s charity.
Iceland’s CEO is the son of Sir Malcolm Walker, who founded Iceland in 1970 (father and son pictured on Father’s Day)
During the discussion with Kate, which took place at the Iceland store in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, last month, the Princess of Wales praised the supermarket chain’s boss for his dedication to the fundraiser – and for being in great shape.
Mr. Walker, whose mother, Mrs. Walker, died last year of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, has a great love of the outdoors, surfing, and rock climbing whenever possible.
However, while his social media presence is active, he keeps much of his family life private, revealing little about his wife and children.
Walker has revealed that he will soon embark on a charity campaign to reach the summit of the world’s tallest peak – but the energetic businessman added that this isn’t the first time he’s climbed Mount Everest.
Mr Walker explained that after his mother was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease 12 years ago, he and his father first tried to climb the peak and managed to get halfway there, raising £1 million for charity.
“We were exactly the same kind of people you hear about who had nothing to do with being on the mountain,” he joked.
However, Mr. Walker’s Instagram account differs, as he appears to spend as much time outdoors as possible.
On his 40th birthday, he celebrated the milestone by swimming in the surf in Cornwall, posting a photo on Instagram against what looked like a cool backdrop.
Looking into the wind in a wetsuit, he stood on top of a cliff while holding a surfboard and smiled while making a surfing gesture with his hand.
In the caption, he joked that it was “30-mile wind and heavy rain” — but he’s still thrilled to be there.
Mr Walker (pictured) spoke with the Princess of Wales about Shaping Us as part of her crusade in her early years
Family photo showing the businessman when he was young with his mother
Mr. Walker joins an Icelandic delivery driver who makes his rounds
Another Instagram post shows the President of Iceland climbing a slope in North Wales in slightly sunny conditions – while wearing all safety gear, of course.
Pictured in a bright orange helmet as he climbed the cliff, he captioned the photo: ‘Amazing day cliff climbs’ and revealed he was in Anglesey – which also happens to be one of the Princess of Wales’ favorite places.
Last year, in an interview with guardianMr. Walker revealed that he uses exercise to relax – even when he’s on holiday.
He told the newspaper that his last trip abroad was cross-country skiing in Norway, and said his favorite activities were “running, surfing and climbing”.
Elsewhere on his Instagram, Mr. Walker regularly pays tribute to his family — especially his mom and dad.
In a sweet Father’s Day photo published in 2021, he snapped a photo with Sir Malcolm Walker as the couple clung to their glasses while dining al fresco.
He wrote: “Happy Father’s Day” as a caption.
The President of Iceland also paid tribute to his mother posthumously after her battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
On the day of her funeral, he posted an old photo of Mrs. Walker in her younger years which was shown during the service.
He explained that it was brought in by one of his mother’s “older school friends” and noted that, in the photo, she showed “a glowing sense of fun and mischief—something I’ve always held onto.”
He added, “You were shining on us today, Mama.
