Prince William has opened up on the “special place” Africa holds in heart in a new statement ahead of his arrival in Cape Town on Monday.
The Prince of Wales will land in Cape Town on November 4 and undertake engagements throughout the week before leaving on the evening of Thursday November 7.
The focal point of his journey is the fourth annual Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, scheduled for Wednesday, November 6, which a Kensington Palace spokesperson described as the Prince of Wales’s “Super Bowl” moment.
This marks his first official trip to the country since 2010.
Prince William has opened up on the “special place” Africa holds in heart in a new statement ahead of his arrival in Cape Town on Monday.
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It is also Prince William’s first visit to Africa since 2018, a continent where important moments of his life have taken place including his proposal to Princess Kate.
Prince William said in a new statement: “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.
“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.
“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.”
It is also Prince William’s first visit to Africa since 2018, a continent where important moments of his life have taken place including his proposal to Princess Kate.
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He 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.
“By the end of the week, I want The Earthshot Prize to have provided a platform to all those innovators bringing about change for their communities, encouraged potential investors to speed African solutions to scale and inspired young people across Africa who are engaged in climate issues.
“I firmly believe that if we come together with collective ambition and urgency, we can reshape the future of our planet.”
Africa is the most vulnerable continent to climate change impacts, despite contributing the least to global warming.
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Prince William’s visit aims to celebrate these African innovators and their crucial contributions to global environmental protection.
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Africa is the most vulnerable continent to climate change impacts, despite contributing the least to global warming.
However, African innovators are rising to the challenge. They are creating solutions that address urgent environmental and health issues.
Remarkably, nearly one in five of all existing Earthshot Finalists were founded or operate in Africa.
Prince William’s visit aims to celebrate these African innovators and their crucial contributions to global environmental protection.