Prince William shone brightly at the Earthshot Prizes awards ceremony in Cape Town, where the future British king flaunted his connection to the African continent.
“Africa has always held a special place in my heart,” William shared, a sentiment that was evident throughout the ceremony, designed to recognize innovative solutions to environmental problems.
Since its inception in 2020, 15 finalists have competed for an impressive $1.3 million prize in five categories: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate.
Winners receive not only global recognition but also the resources needed to scale their initiatives.
This year, the awards were held in Africa, the place that inspired William to launch the Earthshot Prize in 2020, following his visit to Namibia in 2018.
Earthshot Prizes 2024 details
As the ceremony approached this Wednesday, November 6, the prince arrived accompanied by the prize’s executive director, Hannah Jones.
“I’m feeling good. I can’t quite believe we’re here, fourth year, in Africa,” the prince declared as he stepped onto the green carpet. “But I’m really pleased because I’ve been looking forward to an Africa Earthshot for a long time. I love the continent, and I’m so pleased we’ve managed to get here to Africa.”
He also added:
“Africa’s been a big part of my life since I’ve been a young boy, since I first came to Africa. I felt really connected to the place spiritually and kind of from an environmental and people point.”
The prince shared the carpet with ceremony co-host Nomzamo Mbatha and Earthshot Prize ambassador Robert Irwin. For the occasion, he wore a vintage jacket from a local London store, paired with sustainable sneakers, which are non-plastic and biodegradable.
The ceremony was filled with memorable moments and vibrant performances, with celebrity appearances from Heidi Klum, Nina Dobrev, and Winnie Harlow, and of course, the expected reveal of the five winners among the 15 finalists.
Shaun White and Nina Dobrev also made an appearance and even shared a kiss on the carpet.
One of the highlights was when Prince William delivered greetings in nine languages, representing various regions of Africa. This was a gesture of respect for a continent that he said has always held a special place in his heart.
The Earthshot Prizes have received more than 5,000 nominations since their inception four years ago, and in 2024, nearly 400 came from Africa.
“Each of those solutions should be seen as a reminder that Africa is a hub of creativity and innovation that will solve our planet’s toughest environmental challenges,” said William, further emphasizing that Africa is “the continent that, despite contributing the least to global warming, is among the most vulnerable to its impact.”
This year, in the Fix Our Climate category, Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems was declared the winner. In Revive Our Oceans, the award went to the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, and Keep IT Cool stood out in Building a Waste-Free World. The Alytn Dala Conservation Initiative received the award in Protect and Restore Nature, and the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) triumphed in Clean Our Air.
Thus, the presentation of the Earthshot Prizes not only celebrated innovation and creativity but also reaffirmed Prince William’s commitment to the well-being of the planet and the African continent.
“We’ll do everything we can to support them and help speed their solutions to scale. Because when they succeed, we all succeed. When they thrive, we all thrive. And when they win, we all win,” concluded Prince William.