Prince William will head to South Africa next week for a four-day trip centered around the annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, his landmark environmental initiative. Arriving in Cape Town on Monday, the British royal will promote the Earthshot Prize, attend the United for Wildlife Global Summit, and hold discussions with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Kensington Palace released a statement saying, “Prince William looks forward to connecting with people from South Africa and across the continent, and celebrating impactful climate solutions.” This marks his first visit to South Africa since 2010, and he will be making the trip alone, as the Princess of Wales, Kate, is gradually resuming duties following preventive chemotherapy treatment.
A passionate environmental advocate, Prince William launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020, inspired by a previous visit to Africa. The prize, influenced by President John F. Kennedy’s “moonshot” vision, seeks to accelerate innovative solutions to environmental issues, with five winners each receiving £1 million ($1.3 million) to advance their projects.
The Earthshot Prize ceremony will take place on November 6, hosted by American actor Billy Porter and South African television presenter Bonang Matheba. Performances are scheduled by Nigerian artist Davido and Tanzanian singer Diamond Platnumz. Celebrities including supermodel Heidi Klum and actress Nina Dobrev will be present to announce winners. “I’m thrilled to join in celebrating the creativity, resilience, and talent driving positive change,” Porter said.
