CAPE TOWN, Nov 4 – Prince William of Britain kicked off a four-day visit to South Africa on Monday by engaging with young environmentalists and participating in rugby activities with schoolchildren in Cape Town.
This trip focuses on the Earthshot Prize, which will award five winners with £1 million ($1.3 million) each on Wednesday to support innovative solutions for environmental challenges.
In his first activity, the 42-year-old prince met with 120 young environmental leaders from Africa and Asia participating in a new youth program associated with the prize. He then visited a secondary school in the Ocean View township, where he joined a rugby coaching session organized by The Atlas Foundation, a charity aimed at combating child poverty, founded by former rugby player Jason Leonard.
“Let’s tackle the prince!” several excited boys shouted as they approached him. Retired South African World Cup champion Tendai Mtawarira, known as “The Beast,” also joined the coaching session.
Prince William established the Earthshot Prize in 2020, inspired by his visit to Namibia. The prize’s name references former U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s ambitious “moonshot” initiative that culminated in the 1969 lunar landing.
“I hope that by the end of the week, the Earthshot Prize will have provided a platform for innovators driving community change, encouraged investors to scale African solutions, and inspired young people across Africa engaged in climate action,” he stated before the visit.
This marks William’s first trip to South Africa since 2010, and he is traveling solo as his wife, Kate, is managing her return to work after completing preventative chemotherapy for cancer. During his visit, he will also attend a global wildlife summit and meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
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