Prince William has visited a traditional medicine shop in Vietnam to find out more about the myths surrounding the use of rhino horn.

It comes at the start of a two-day visit raising awareness of the illegal trade in wildlife.

Crowds packed the streets of the old quarter in Hanoi as the Duke of Cambridge met some of the shop owners to find out more about traditional medicine.

He is in the city for the third Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference, highlighting the crisis facing species of elephants and rhinos, as poachers seek to make money from their horns and ivory.

Image: The Duke pf Cambridge at a school in Hanoi during a two-day visit to Vietnam

Vietnam has become known as a hub for trafficking, partly because many Vietnamese still believe rhino horn has important medicinal properties and can cure conditions like cancer.


Gangs inside Vietnam have also been importing elephant ivory from Africa to sell to countries like China.

William also visited a primary school where many of the shop owners' children go.

He joined a class of eight-year-olds reading a storybook called I'm A Little Rhino - part of a nationwide education and awareness-raising scheme to reduce the demand for rhino horn.

Image: William found time to play football with some of the pupils

So far 1.5 million children have been given a copy of the book to take home.

The book's author, Teresa Telecky, said: "We are thrilled that Prince William is helping to bring attention to the plight of rhinos and the dire poaching crisis they face, which is decimating their wild populations in Africa and Asia."

"Driving the crisis is the demand for rhino horn for its use in traditional medicines and health tonics despite the horn having no medicinal value," added Ms Telecky, who is from animal protection agency Humane Society International.

Image: A tour of the old quarter of Hanoi

On Thursday, Prince William will attend the international conference on wildlife trafficking and give an address to delegates at the event in Hanoi.