Prince William releases message mentioning his wife ahead of arriving in 'special place'

The Prince of Wales has touched down in Africa for the 2024 Earthshot Prize Awards. Ahead of his arrival, Prince William spoke about his connection to the continent.

“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," His Royal Highness said.

“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. 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," William continued. “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.”

The Prince of Wales arrived in South Africa on Nov. 4. The trip marks William's first official visit to South Africa since 2010 and his first to Africa since 2018 when he visited Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya.

For his first engagement on Monday, the heir to the throne joined young environmentalists, who are taking part in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme, at Rooftop on Bree. Sharing a picture from the engagement, the Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram wrote, "Thank you for an incredible welcome in Cape Town, already feeling inspired after an afternoon at the first @EarthshotPrize Youth Leaders programme! 🌎."

On Nov. 4, William also visited Ocean View Secondary School, where he met with young people who regularly participate in the charity Atlas Foundation’s rugby training and digital skills program. The royal dad of three participated in a rugby coaching session while at the school. 

Kensington Palace previously revealed that during the Prince's trip, he will attend the United for Wildlife Global Summit 2024 and "spend time with local communities and learn more about the innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity which is being harnessed across Africa to tackle the environmental crisis." On Wednesday, William will hit the green carpet at the fourth annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony, which has been described as His Royal Highness' "Super Bowl moment." 

The event is taking place on Nov. 6 at The Earthshot Prize Dome, which is a purpose-built venue beside Cape Town Stadium. The show will open with a pre-recorded performance by Lebo M. of "Circle of Life" from The Lion King at the top of Table Mountain. The five winners of the 2024 Prize will be revealed at the ceremony, hosted by Billy Porter and Bonang Matheba. While announcing this year's finalists in September, Prince William said: "These solutions are some of the most exciting, innovative and impactful we’ve seen, and the people behind them are true inspirations. I know you’re as passionate as I am about making a difference to our planet and we can’t wait to share their stories with you.”

The 2024 awards ceremony will be broadcast on the Earthshot Prize’s YouTube channel.