A major exhibition celebrating the 80th anniversary of The Little Prince‘s publication in France has opened in Hong Kong, offering visitors a rare opportunity to explore the life and legacy of its creator, French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Presented by the Alliance Française de Hong Kong and the University Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Hong Kong, The Little Prince and the Pilot runs from June 26 to October 18 as part of the French May Arts Festival. Admission is free.
Although first published in the United States in 1943 while Saint-Exupéry was living in exile during World War II, The Little Prince was not published in France until 1946, two years after the author’s disappearance. The Hong Kong exhibition commemorates the 80th anniversary of that French publication, celebrating a work that has since become one of the world’s most influential literary classics.
Today, The Little Prince has sold an estimated 140 million copies worldwide and has been translated into hundreds of languages and dialects, making it one of history’s best-selling and most widely translated books. Often introduced as a children’s story, the novella is equally celebrated for its reflections on friendship, love, loneliness, loss, and the importance of seeing beyond appearances—themes that continue to resonate with readers of all ages.
Its enduring appeal extends to the Philippines, where generations of readers have embraced Saint-Exupéry’s timeless tale. Over the decades, the novella has been translated into Filipino and several regional languages, including Waray, Chavacano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, Bicolano, and Cebuano, reflecting the country’s rich linguistic diversity and the story’s ability to connect with readers across cultures. One of the latest additions, the Waray translation An Ditoy nga Prinsipe, was launched in 2024, joining a growing collection of Philippine-language editions.
The book has also found new life on the Philippine stage. In 2023, Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas premiered Prinsipe Bahaghari, a Filipino adaptation that reimagined the beloved classic through puppetry and theater for local audiences. The production was well received by audiences and critics before returning for another run, underscoring how The Little Prince continues to inspire Filipino artists and audiences more than eight decades after it was first published.
For Filipinos planning a trip to Hong Kong, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see original manuscripts, letters, and sketches behind a literary classic that has been translated into numerous Philippine languages and adapted for the local stage.
Beyond its literary significance, The Little Prince has become a global cultural phenomenon, inspiring films, theater productions, operas, ballets, exhibitions, and artworks around the world. Its memorable characters—including the Little Prince, the Fox, and the Rose—have become enduring symbols of imagination, innocence, and human connection.
Eight decades after its publication in France, the story continues to find new audiences, making anniversary celebrations such as the Hong Kong exhibition an opportunity for longtime fans to revisit the classic while introducing it to a new generation of readers.
Against that backdrop, the exhibition turns the spotlight to the extraordinary life of Saint-Exupéry, whose experiences as a pioneering pilot, wartime airman, artist, and explorer shaped the timeless tale that has captivated readers around the world.
Born in Lyon, France, in 1900, Saint-Exupéry was among the early generation of aviators who helped pioneer long-distance airmail routes across Europe, Africa, and South America. His adventures in the skies, combined with his experiences during World War II, heavily influenced his writing. He disappeared during a reconnaissance mission over the Mediterranean in 1944 at the age of 44, leaving behind a literary legacy that has endured for decades.
The novella follows a pilot who meets a mysterious young boy claiming to be a prince from another world after an emergency landing in the Sahara Desert. Their unlikely friendship unfolds through a series of encounters that have captivated readers across generations.
The Hong Kong exhibition builds on that story by taking visitors behind its creation. Rare photographs, personal letters, maps, flight documents, original manuscripts, first editions, and multilingual translations trace Saint-Exupéry’s journey from pioneering aviator to celebrated author, revealing how his extraordinary experiences shaped The Little Prince.
An exclusive display of eight life-sized sculptures inspired by the book’s iconic characters provides another highlight, allowing visitors to interact with the exhibition while giving collectors the opportunity to pre-order the pieces.
The organizers are also offering school programs, guided tours, educational workshops, French-language courses, and summer camps aimed at introducing younger audiences to Saint-Exupéry’s literary and humanist legacy.
Adding to the anniversary celebrations, Adrien Guiraud, the author’s great-great-nephew and a representative of the Saint-Exupéry–d’Agay family estate, traveled to Hong Kong for the exhibition’s opening, underscoring the family’s continuing efforts to bring the writer’s work and values to new generations.
The exhibition is supported by the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation and The Little Museum of the World, with sponsorship from IWC Schaffhausen and the University of Hong Kong Museum Society, alongside support from the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, Banque Transatlantique, and SPH Gérard Bertrand.
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