Prince William and his wife Kate are traveling to Boston next Wednesday to attend an environmental awards ceremony. The Earthshot Prize is awarded to five winners each year for their contributions to environmental protection. It was first awarded in 2021 and is scheduled to run annually until 2030. Each winner will receive a £1million grant to continue their environmental work.
In addition to Prince William and his wife Kate, other high-profile guests such as Billie Eilish and Annie Lennox will attend the event. The British news portal "Daily Mail" reports that a source has revealed: The award is like a "Super Bowl moment" for the prince, with which he can make himself internationally visible in his role as heir to the throne.
But the Prince's participation is not just to underpin his leadership globally, the awards website also details his motivations for supporting the award, saying the Prince: "The Earth is at a turning point and we face a clear choice: Either we carry on as we have been, damaging our planet beyond repair, or we remember the unique power of humans and their ongoing ability to lead, innovate and solve problems. Humans can achieve great things. The next decade introduces us one of our greatest tests - a decade of action to repair the Earth."
The gala award ceremony takes place on Friday evening. Sir David Attenborough will open the show, while actress and Earthshot judge Cate Blanchett will look back at the 2021 winners. Actor Rami Malek will present an award.
Two of the 15 finalists are from Great Britain. London-based Notpla Hard Material makes packaging from algae and plants as an alternative to single-use plastic. Also on board is Low Carbon Materials, based in County Durham, who use non-recyclable plastic waste to create carbon-free concrete blocks.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be looking forward to their three-day trip to America, with plans to explore Boston in addition to the awards ceremony. The city is known for history, sports and for its Irish community. It is not yet clear whether there will be a meeting between the brothers Prince Harry and Prince William, who are at odds according to the media. Prince Harry resides in California with his family and, after stepping out of the royal family, opted for a celebrity life in Montecito.
Sources: Daily Mail, earthshotprize
