Prince William, the Prince of Wales, expressed his ambitious vision for the Earthshot Prize to drive meaningful environmental change over the next decade as he celebrated this year’s winners.
Closing the awards ceremony in Cape Town, William called on global communities to join the “movement for change” that the prize represents.
The prestigious event, hosted by Emmy-winning actor Billy Porter and South African TV presenter Bonang Matheba, honored sustainable and eco-friendly initiatives worldwide.
Notable presenters, including models Heidi Klum and Winnie Harlow, actress Nina Dobrev, and artist Tobe Nwigwe, announced the £1 million ($1.2 million) prize winners in each of the Earthshot categories.
Among this year’s recipients were a project that saved a rare antelope species from extinction and a Kenyan company leveraging solar-powered refrigeration to prevent crop spoilage.
This fourth edition of the Earthshot Prize supports five key goals, known as ‘Earthshots’: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate.
The fifteen finalists, representing countries like France, Kenya, Indonesia, the UK, and Nepal, were chosen from over 2,500 applicants to compete in these categories, each receiving £1 million to expand their groundbreaking solutions for a sustainable future.
Ahead of the ceremony, Prince William acknowledged the strength of his wife, the Princess of Wales, who is recovering from cancer treatment and could not attend.
“I know she’ll be really keen to see tonight be a success,” he shared, noting that she would watch from their home in Windsor.
In keeping with the event’s eco-conscious ethos, all 2,000 attendees were asked to wear sustainable fashion, donning recycled or previously worn clothing.
Guests walked a “green carpet” instead of a traditional red one, with Prince William himself sporting a second-hand Prince of Wales check jacket and biodegradable shoes.
Dubbed his “Super Bowl” moment, the awards were broadcast live across Africa and streamed online.
In his closing remarks, Prince William shared an inspiring message, stating that he believed in a world “rich in possibility, in hope, and in optimism.”
He emphasized the prize’s mission to “repair our planet and provide real hope for the future,” aiming to make this decade a transformative period “one solution at a time, from the ground up.”
When asked about the prize’s goals in a challenging political climate, Prince William responded with resilience.
“Everyone wants some hope and some optimism, and Earthshot comes with urgent optimism,” he said.
Co-host Winnie Harlow shared her honor in being part of the initiative, noting, “This should be something near and dear to everyone’s heart when it comes to taking care of Mother Earth.”
Heidi Klum, who announced the winner of the Fix Our Climate category, added, “It’s great to spread the word and shine a light on these amazing organizations and what they do.”
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