#Earthshot Prize South Africa

[thepastisalreadywritten]

[thewales-family]

The Prince of Wales visits Simon's Town Harbour to meet with volunteers of the National Seas Rescue Institute, in Cape Town, South Africa -November 7th 2024.

[world-of-wales]

NEWS -

NEW EARTHSHOT PROGRAMMES!

As the 2024 Earthshot Week kicks off in Cape Town today, the Earthshot Prize has announced a series of programmes designed to inspire and engage the next generation of climate innovators.

Global Network of Accelerators

The new global network, with 17 initial members, will foster collaboration between accelerators, incubators and other organisations around the world as they support early-stage start-ups to tackle the most pressing environmental challenges facing the world, and to speed their solutions to scale.

The network will expand over time to provide even greater support to eco-innovators and their solutions.

Climate Youth Leadership Programme

The Prize has brought together 120 young people from across Africa and Asia to launch the first Earthshot Week Climate Youth Leadership Programme. This cohort, all passionate about driving transformative change in climate action and sustainability, will develop vital skills in authentic leadership, storytelling, and networking over four impactful days.

The attendees will participate in a series of immersive masterclasses, programmes, and experiences, including with Finalists and Earthshot Prize alumni, & there will also be opportunities to potentially secure internships, jobs, and important connections to potential mentors, business partners, and investors throughout the week.

Project Slingshot

In an ongoing collaboration with the National Geographic Society, The Earthshot Prize will connect with young people ages 13-18 with a youth program which aims to foster and support a new generation of leaders committed to addressing environmental challenges.

During Earthshot Week, this will be brought to life through an interactive workshop with 100 local high school youth, led by National Geographic in collaboration with The Earthshot Prize and Brand South Africa.

[andiatas]

princeandprincessofwales: A pleasure to spend time with all fifteen of this year’s Earthshot Prize Finalists ahead of tonight’s #EarthshotCapeTown Awards! Your work has the power to change the future of our planet 💚🌍

[vox-anglosphere]

Earthshot-2024

[houseofbrat]

Never fear HoB - Becky English is here with the KP sponsored spin. If you look closely, you could see Lee scribbling this sycophancy out for her:

“Yes, he is thinner, more drawn around the face. Noticeably so, in fact. The new lines and shadows make clear that the trials and tribulations of the last year have taken their toll. But the prince has also been more animated, energised and, yes, even joyful than I have seen him for a very long time.”

“At times of crisis you draw your loved ones closer. Which explains why the Prince of Wales hasn’t left his family to go abroad since December last year.” — that’s odd considering Cathy was only having a “planned, routine surgery” in Dec and “cancer had been present” was found late Feb conveniently to explain Willy’s absence from the memorial?! 🤥

“On top of that he has had to protect his three young children as a ‘papa’ who could, at any sad turn, find himself acceding to the throne, thereby turning their relatively sheltered little lives upside down.” 🙄

“And the prince has been touched by the way in which Cape Town, not to mention the rest of Africa, has taken his ‘green Oscars’ to their hearts.” — no they haven’t, they’ve largely been apathetic…just like Heidi Klum who admitted she had no idea what EP was until Willy’s people approached her to attend (probably as a paid appearance).

“While William appears to be a man who has found his groove both as an innovator and heir to the throne.” 🙄🤥🤣

“Friends tell me he’s been talking non-stop about his children on the trip.” — it’s giving peak overcompensating single dad energy 🥴

Interestingly Becky’s article to wrap up The King’s state visit was behind a paywall so either Charles is a bigger draw or those Duchy funds are going towards making it worthwhile to publish such drivel.

I had to look up what his international trip was last December (2023). It was when he went to Kuwait to present condolences.

So tough.

Somehow he was able to travel to Germany more than once for the Euros. But that doesn't count as traveling "abroad"?

Can't wait to see his beard and weight loss in this year's Christmas card photo!

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

The Wales Family in 2024 ♛

The year of the plot twist indeed. When I made the post for Catherine's abdominal surgery back in January, I could not have foreseen the year that was coming. We have seen Catherine only a few times this year - Trooping, Wimbledon, Southport, to name a few. William, on the other hand, has been out and about as usual. He visited South Africa with the Earthshot Prize, hosted a documentary for Homewards, and even announced plans to build homes on his estate in Cornwall. Despite the challenges of the year, we've been able to enjoy some incredibly private family moments, whether that was William and George at the football, Catherine and Charlotte at Wimbledon, or the personal video released in early September to mark the end of Catherine's chemotherapy. Next year, all I want is for Catherine to recover and the family to begin to return to normal.

[theroyalsandi]

British Royal Family - The Prince of Wales attends the Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme in Cape Town, South Africa (Photo by Chris Jackson) | November 04, 2024

[catherinetheprincessofwales]

“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. 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.”

- The Prince of Wales, 2 November 2024.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

For anyone interested in watching Earthshot next week:

[thepastisalreadywritten]

[thewales-family]

The Prince of Wales visits the Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme during the 'Earthshot Week', in Cape Town, South Africa -November 4th 2024.

[world-of-wales]

THE PRINCE OF WALES HAS GIVEN AN INTERVIEW AT THE END OF HIS OFFICIAL VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA.

During the candid and emotional interview he admitted how the past few months had been ‘brutal’ due to the health scares The Princess of Wales and King Charles went through :

‘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.’

Speaking about the Princess of Wales he said that :

‘She’s doing well. Doing well.’

Speaking about what it meant to host the awards in Africa, a continent he connects very deeply to as he spent time there following his mother's passing and it is the place he proposed to The Princess of Wales as well, he said :

'Hearing the Circle of Life. I don’t know about everyone else, but hearing the Lion King and things like that gets me quite emotional, So, when they started singing and I saw the clips from the top of Table Mountain and we were all there and it’s happened. I did feel quite emotional.'

He then spoke about his children watching the awards saying :

'I don’t know yet. I haven’t clocked in with them yet but I hope they did.'

William added of his relaxed demeanour in Cape Town this week :

'It’s interesting you say that ’cause I couldn’t be less relaxed this year, so it’s very interesting you’re all seeing that. But it’s more a case of just crack on and you’ve got to keep going. I enjoy my work and I enjoy pacing myself and keeping sure I have got time for my family too.'

He also spoke about his family's opinions on his beard :

'Well Charlotte didn’t like it the first time. I got floods of tears the first time I grew a beard, so I had to shave it off. And then I grew it back. I thought, hang on a second and I convinced her it was going to be okay'

He also spoke about his new role as the Prince of Wales and how he intends to 'royal' in a different way than his grandmother and father before him :

‘You mention the added responsibility and the freedom in the same sentence,’ he laughed. It’s a tricky one. Do I like more responsibility? No. Do I like the freedom that I can build something like Earthshot then yes. And that’s the future for me. It’s very important with my role and my platform, that I’m doing something for good. That I’m helping people’s lives and I’m doing something that is genuinely meaningful.’

William spoke about the BTS work that goes into setting up huge events like Earthshot successfully :

‘So, the Earthshot is a culmination if you like of all that put together. But it takes a lot of work, and there’s a lot of unseen stuff that goes on, a lot of meetings, a lot of people coming in, a lot of chatting and phone calls, letters, all trying to sort of make the Earthshot get to being the best possible entity it can be'

He talked about his frustrations over reluctance as well as more involvement from buisness & governments saying :

‘I’d like it to be more a team sport. And so, when you go and approach people...business...or even government...and say, listen, we’re building this incredible thing. Please come on board. Some people are extremely fast and keen to it. Others take a little bit longer and it’s those people who take a little bit longer, I’m like, guys, we just don’t have the time.'

'So, yes, I get a bit frustrated that it takes a long time to convince people that this is worthy of their attention. But I guess that’s the nature of a global environment prize, you start from scratch and it’s going to take a bit of time.'

On his hope for the solutions & the impact and his message to those who can invest, he said :

'So you guys have seen for yourselves the scale of the solutions. I mean, they cover all sectors in all walks of life. Brilliant people, some barely started, some been a bit more established and have a bit more money. But overall all doing fantastic work in the same direction. I think the key thing for us is how do we translate that into more impact, more scale, and ultimately, greater progress in tackling environmental challenges.’

On his hope for more involvement, ‘I definitely think so. We’re giving this amazing platform to all of them. And really it’s an amazing platform for business to come in and poach what they want. But if we keep waiting....we’re going to keep eating into time that we just don’t have. And so my message to business really is: hurry up and be courageous. Invest faster because we just don’t have that time.’

[andiatas]

robertirwinphotography: A wonderful morning for a hike on the stunning Signal Hill, Cape Town, discussing the amazing conservation work happening here! I’m honoured to be part of the Earthshotprize family, and can’t wait for the Awards tomorrow night.

[the-wales-5]

"You were by my side"

9th November 2024.

“Enough” Catherine giggled as she finally ‘escaped’ from her husband's arms “We must get ready now or we'll be late, Mr. Wales”.

William grinned as he watched her wearing her shirt in a rush, saying “I wouldn't mind”.

As she closed the bathroom door and looked at her reflection in the mirror, the princess blushed like a teenage girl. Since her husband's return from South Africa where he attended Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, they were lost in their own world, thankful that their children were at school most of the time.

As she checked her phone, she saw a text message from her stylist sent 30 minutes earlier “Where are you, Catherine? It's time to choose your dress”.

She sighed and called her husband “I am already late” she said, showing him a text message but William chuckled “I am sure that Natalie will understand everything”. Catherine rolled her eyes and brushed her hair a little before going to the dressing room.

~

“I am sorry, Natalie. I didn't see your message earlier” She said and felt embarrassed but Natalie nodded as she said “It's alright. We still have some time left”

“Yes.. So I obviously need a black outfit” Catherine took a sip of water and smiled before looking through her clothes “What about a coat dress? I haven't worn one in so long, right?”

“Yes, that's true” Natalie nodded “You always look beautiful in them”

“William says the same thing. It is a shame that he did not listen to my advices when it came to his Earthshot ceremony outfit though”

Natalie chuckled a little “Did you scold him?”

“I.. I wanted to, a couple of times actually but.. but he stopped me” Catherine tried not to blush as she remembered.

~~

7th November 2024. The prince of Wales was on his way home, smiling at the thought of seeing his wife and children again.

As soon as he entered the house, he expected Catherine to run towards him and her kiss but none of that happened. Instead, she stood in front of him with her phone and a picture of his Earthshot Prize ceremony outfit on the screen. “What was that?” she asked and rolled her eyes a little “I thought you already had even a small sense of fashion style in yourself, but it seems..”

“That is how you greet your husband after he was away on another continent for three days, Mrs. Wales?” William teased her as he put his luggage on the floor.

“This is what you deserve for..” she tried to say but William approached her, took her phone away from her and lifted her up in his arms. Catherine rolled her eyes playfully and asked “Don’t you have a gift for me? I’ve seen pictures and you were looking through some earrings, weren’t you?”

“I’ve got a gift for you but it is hidden inside the luggage, so maybe let us start with a kiss first?” he smirked

“First, you need to take shower” Catherine said “And one kiss won’t solve anything”

“Who told you it’ll be just one kiss?” William raised his eyebrows and pressed his lips on hers as he walked towards the bathroom.

~~

9th November 2024.

“Shall I try on these coats finally?” The princess of Wales cleared her throat. Her final choice was one of those designed by Catherine Walker.

“What about your hair?” Natalie asked

“Natural” Kate smiled a little “But pulled to one of the sides perhaps. As for makeup..” she seemed lost in thoughts for a moment

“Yes? What's your idea?”

“I thought about something similar to my 2011-2012 style, but I am not certain that it's a good choice”

“A perfect one I'd say” Natalie smiled “Do I need to help you? I think you're best at it”

“I’ll do that myself but you can stay here, that way we'll have more time for a conversation”.

They continued to talk for at least twenty minutes, and soon William waited for his wife in the corner of the dressing room.

Kate discreetly chuckled when she finally noticed him, thanked Natalie for help, and then approached her husband.

“You were supposed to wait outside, not listen to my conversations, Mr. Wales”

“I wasn't listening. You finished it a minute ago and then I came here”

“But until you entered the room you were listening indeed, right?” She teased him

“Maybe a little bit. Your last words were something about George's school, yes?”

“Yes, but earlier there was also something that Nat reminded me of”

“What is it?’ William asked and looked at his wife's black dress

“I still had no time to scold you for that Earthshot outfit” she replied

“Why do I need to be scolded?” He asked and approached her “I thought it was decent and, in case you had to say anything else, my gift erased the problem”

“Seaweed earrings were perfect, but not enough to make me forget about that outfit”

William sighed, pretended to feel annoyed “You are rude sometimes, you know?”

Catherine chuckled and was then fixing her hair yet. After a few seconds of looking at her husband, she said “Now that I think about it, it’s actually good”

“What do you mean? It's good that I refused to listen to my wife?”

The princess nodded as their eyes met “This time, yes. At least you felt comfortable in that style and most importantly, the other women at the ceremony were not obsessed with you”

“Yes, though it seemed to me they were making fun of my trainers” William chuckled

“There's a rule from now, Mr. Wales” his wife teased again “You can wear whatever you want for those ‘glamorous’ outings without me, even the most casual clothes. However, when I join you, for example at the 2025 Earthshot Awards ceremony, you need to be the best version of yourself” she smirked and blinked flirtatiously before heading towards the car. She looked back and saw that her husband was observing her from a distance.

“Are you going or not, Mr. Wales?” she asked, smiling innocently.

~~

On the way to the Royal Albert Hall, they were not talking at all but it was not an uncomfortable silence. As they were standing at the entrance, William's hand was on his wife's back almost all the time. At one point, the princess’ emotions were visible as she was holding back her tears. After it ended and she and William left the building, Catherine whispered “I thought I will never be able to be here again but it's happening and I.. I guess I just feel overwhelmed now” she murmured.

William kissed her on the hair and told the driver to take them home.

~

As Catherine settled in her pyjamas and sat down on the bed, her husband brought her a cup of tea. She smiled a little and said “I made you feel worried, didn't I? We had such a perfect two days and then there I was: almost crying, reminiscing about my illness, the possibility of me dying and--..”

“Hsshh..” William interrupted as he sat down beside her “Don't say anything about it again. It is over now and you're going to be fine”.

Catherine closed her eyes as she whispered “Thank you for helping me, my William”

He looked at her face and sighed “How did I help? I wish I could do more for you”

“You were by my side, which was everything. I mean it with all my heart. It truly was everything, and still is” Catherine whispered, her eyes tearful once more but she hid it by closing her eyes and began to drink tea. William was speechless for a moment, then he gently squeezed her hand and wanted to say something but Catherine pressed her lips on his and he deepened that kiss. It wasn't one of passionate kisses which they often shared for the last two days, but instead one full of pure love.

“Aren't you going to argue about my Earthshot outfit anymore?” William teased his wife after a few moments

“No, at least not tonight” Catherine tried not to giggle before kissing him on the lips again.

~ the end ~

[houseofbrat]

Are we still pretending William hasn't lost weight? Still pretending that he doesn't look terrible?

His own clothes are overwhelming him. He's barely there.