Prince William on how much Africa means to him ahead of Earthshot Prize
Prince William has opened up about how much Africa means to him ahead of hosting the next Earthshot Prize in South Africa.
In a statement, the prince said: "Africa has always held a special place in my heart – as somewhere I found comfort as a teenager, where I proposed to my wife and, most recently, as the founding inspiration behind The Earthshot Prize
The 42-year-old had proposed to his wife Catherine, now the Princess of Wales, in Kenya in 2010, using his mother Princess Diana's famous sapphire ring.
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Britain's Prince William and his then fiancee Kate Middleton pose for the media at St. James's Palace in London, Tuesday Nov. 16, 2010, after they announced their engagement. AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
"It was in Namibia in 2018 that I realised the power of how innovative, positive solutions to environmental problems could drive transformative change for humans and nature," he added.
The Prince of Wales will be making his way to Cape Town by himself on November 4, ahead of the ceremony on November 6.
"I am proud that, since its inception, The Earthshot Prize has travelled to Europe, North America and Asia, spotlighting and scaling 45 groundbreaking solutions, all of which are having a tangible impact as we work as a global collective to secure the future of our planet," the statement continued.
"This week we'll travel to South Africa to spotlight our next cohort of 15 finalists and have the opportunity to join partners from across Africa to celebrate the inspiring approach to environmental innovation that is taking place across the continent."
Among the finalists in the 'Revive our Oceans' category is Coast 4C, co-founded by Nicholas Hill, an Aussie entrepreneur.
It's described as a social enterprise that aims to build the world's largest supply of regenerative seaweed, benefiting marginalised coastal fishing communities by transforming their harvest and providing a market to sell the seaweed at profits to lift them out of poverty.
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Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales last attended the Earthshot Prize together in 2022. Getty
From the 15 finalists, five winners will be selected at a ceremony in Cape Town on November 6, with each receiving a prize of £1 million (approx $1.9 million AUD).
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