Kensington Palace has released a slick new video of showcasing the Prince of Wales’ recent trip to South Africa for the Earthshot Prize awards.
The future king jetted off to the country’s capital of Cape Town earlier this week for a week of events, culminating with the fourth annual environmental awards ceremony on Wednesday.
William was joined by a small camera crew, who documented his four day trip that also included a meeting with the prime minister, Cyril Ramaphosa and a walkabout with nature conservationist Steve Irwin’s son.
It has now been made into a heartwarming film showcasing the inspirational young minds and local communities of the African nation that William encountered during his time there.
Cut with eloquent shots of the Prince speaking candidly and smiling with youngsters, celebrities and environmentalists, the short documentary follows other recent videos that have shared an intimate glimpse into the Royals‘ lives.
A shot of Prince William delivering a speech at the Earthshot Prize awards in Cape Town taken from a slick new video of showcasing his recent trip to South Africa
Prince William speaks to youngsters participating in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme
Prince William pictured during a walkabout with nature conservationist Steve Irwin’s son
The video showed shots of William arriving into Cape Town on Monday, as he was seen disembarking a plane dressed in a suit before speaking at an event with
During an off-the-cuff speech, the Prince told the 120 youngsters participating in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme that they are ‘going to change the world’.
Later in the day, the future king joined children from Ocean View Secondary School taking part in a training session along with a number of South African legends including ‘The Beast’ Tendai Mtawarira and Joel Stransky.
On Tuesday, William went on a walk up Signal Hill with Australian conservationist Robert Irwin, the 20-year-old son of the late Steve Irwin.
And Irwin later tweeted a video of him with William, in which he asked the prince what his ‘favourite African animal’ was.
William replied: ‘Oh, it’s a tough question, it’s a really tough question. My children ask me this regularly. I think I’m going to have to say the cheetah. Fantastic animal.’ Irwin then said his favourite was the chameleon.
The prince also spoke with park rangers, firefighters, mountain rescue volunteers, biodiversity experts and youth volunteers in front of the scenic backdrop.
Later that day, William gave a speech at the start of a two-day summit for United for Wildlife, his umbrella organisation combating the illegal trafficking of animals.
The video showed shots of William arriving into Cape Town on Monday, as he was seen disembarking a plane dressed in a suit before speaking at an event with
Prince William speaks to youngsters participating in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme
Prince William speaks to youngsters participating in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme
Prince William speaks to youngsters participating in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme
Prince William speaks to youngsters participating in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme
Prince William speaks to youngsters participating in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme
Prince William taking part in a training session along with a number of South African legends including ‘The Beast’ Tendai Mtawarira and Joel Stransky
Prince William poses with youngsters participating in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme
William then joined glamorous guests on Wednesday at the annual Earthshot Awards prize ceremony.
The awards were held in a reusable eco ‘super dome’ with a green carpets for guests who include host Billy Porter and models Heidi Klum and Winnie Harlow.
The five winning organisations were chosen from nearly 2,500 nominees across 75 countries.
The Prince looked suave in a grey chequered blazer, crisp blue shirt and navy suit trousers, complete with a casual pair of gleaming eco-friendly white trainers.
During the event he candidly revealed it has been the ‘hardest year in my life’ following his wife and father’s cancer diagnoses, adding that he was hugely ‘proud’ of them both for showing such dignity and bravery.
On the final day of his visit, William travelled by boat to the picturesque fishing village of Kalk Bay to see the work of Abalobi, a 2023 Earthshot prize finalist which works with local fishermen to categorise and track their hauls.
He was met with shouts of ‘We love you, William’ and met Abalobi co-founder Serge Raemaekers who introduced the Prince to local fishermen and a team of fisherwomen involved in the Abalobi monitoring programme.
Following from the trip, it was revealed today that William is ‘looking forward’ to ‘playing a role’ at the Cop30 UN climate change conference in Brazil next year, a royal source has revealed.
William went on a walk up Signal Hill with Australian conservationist Robert Irwin , the 20-year-old son of the late Steve Irwin
William prepares to give a speech at the start of a two-day summit for United for Wildlife, his umbrella organisation combating the illegal trafficking of animals
Prince William then joined glamorous guests on Wednesday at the annual Earthshot Awards prize ceremony
The winners of the annual Earthshot Awards prize ceremony pose of the green carpet
The Prince of Wales is seeking ‘to spread urgent optimism’ about the climate crisis when he attends the global conference, which is due to take place in Belem on the Amazon delta, in November 2025.
There is speculation William could also stage his Earthshot Prize in the Brazilian city having spoken previously about taking the environmental awards to every corner of the Earth including China, India and South America.
A royal source said: ‘This week, the Prince of Wales visited South Africa to spotlight African innovation and young people, as Earthshot hosted its fourth annual awards in Cape Town.
‘Throughout his trip, the prince spoke about the importance of not losing sight of what needs to be done between now and 2030 – the Earthshot decade.
‘His commitment to restoring the future of the planet is unwavering and the Prince is determined to do all he can to use his platform to spread urgent optimism.
‘Next year, the Climate Cop will take place in Brazil and it’s set to be hugely consequential.
‘The Prince of Wales is looking forward to playing a role there.’
Cop30 will be a major gathering of world leaders, NGOs, policymakers, government representatives, activists and investors – all key stakeholders who the prince would probably like to attract to his awards.
Meanwhile, Cop29 is set to take place in a matter of days in Azerbaijan. It was revealed last month that King Charles will miss this year’s climate summit meeting as he continues his cancer treatment.
As Prince of Wales, Charles delivered the opening speech at Cop21 in Paris in 2015, calling for a ‘vast military-style campaign’ to fight climate change and urging world leaders to commit ‘trillions, not billions, of dollars’.
He played a vital role in convening and encouraging world leaders to sign up to the landmark Paris Climate Agreement at the event.
Charles also delivered a speech on home soil at the opening ceremony of Cop26 in Glasgow, calling on world leaders to adopt a ‘warlike footing’ to deal with the issue.
Hannah Jones, CEO of the Earthshot Prize, wearing a custom-made red velvet jacket and tulle skirt by Notting Hill designer Aimee Joyce, made from ‘dead stock’ material which would otherwise have been discarded (pictured with William)
The son of the late Steve Irwin, Robert Irwin, an Australian conservationist, also looked in high spirits as he stepped out in a crisp tuxedo at the Earthshot Prize awards
Prince William posed next to Robert Irwin and Nomzamo Mbatha on the green carpet
Prince William poses with the winners of the Earthshot Prize during the awards ceremony in Cape Town
Model Heidi Klum looked effortlessly fashionable in a tangerine one-sleeved frock
Elsewhere, during a remarkably candid interview on Thursday, marking at end of his official visit to South Africa, the future king opened up about having the ‘hardest year in my life’ following his wife and father’s cancer diagnoses.
William offered an deeply moving response after being asked how the past year had been for him as a husband, father and son,
Slightly sighing and lowering his voice, he said: ‘Honestly? It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.
‘But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done.
‘But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.’
Asked how is the princess is ‘getting on’, he smiled and said: ‘She’s doing well. Doing well.’
William added of his relaxed demeanour in Cape Town this week: ‘It’s interesting you say that, because I couldn’t be less relaxed this year, so it’s very interesting you’re all seeing that.’
Earlier this week he praised Kate, who was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February and underwent a course of ‘preventative chemotherapy’, as having ‘been amazing this whole year’.
She recently revealed that she has finished her chemotherapy treatment.