Prince William is flying to South Africa next week for a four-day trip during which he will attend the annual ceremony to award the multi-million dollar Heir to the British Throne Environmental Prize.
William will travel to Cape Town on Monday for a series of events to promote his Earthshot Prize. He will also attend the United for Wildlife Global Summit and meet South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during his stay.
“Her Royal Highness looks forward to spending time with people from South Africa and across the continent, as well as celebrating the incredible climate solutions that will be highlighted,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.
This is the Prince of Wales’ first trip to South Africa since 2010. He will make the visit alone as his wife Kate is still managing her return to work after completing preventative cancer chemotherapy.
William, who like his father King Charles, became a staunch conservationist, established the Earthshot Prize in 2020, inspired by his last visit to Africa six years ago.
A nod to former U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s “moonshot” project, which led to the 1969 moon landing, the prize aims to find innovations to combat climate change and other issues ecological. It awards five winners one million pounds ($1.3 million) each to complete their projects.
The actual ceremony will be held on November 6 and will be hosted by American actor Billy Porter and South African television presenter Bonang Matheba. Artists such as Nigerian pop star Davido and Tanzanian singer Diamond Platnumz will also perform at the ceremony.
Model Heidi Klum and actress Nina Dobrev will be among the celebrities who will announce the winners.
“I look forward to this evening which celebrates creativity, human ingenuity and art in all its forms,” Ms Porter said.
($1 = 0.7709 pounds)
