Prince William Arrives In Singapore For Earthshot Awards
The Prince of Wales has touched down in Singapore ahead of the third annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony. Upon arrival, Prince William, 41, said: “It’s fantastic to be back in Singapore for this year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony, after eleven years. Singapore’s bold vision to be a leader for environmental innovation sets the standard for others to follow.”
He went on to say: “I am grateful to the Singaporean people for hosting us this week. Let us all take inspiration from the fantastic work being done here as we celebrate this year’s Earthshot Prize finalists.”
Prince William’s brainchild Earthshot aims to find solutions to some of the Earth’s biggest environmental issues.
Launched by the Duke and The Royal Foundation in October 2020, The Earthshot Prize has been inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s ‘Moonshot’ programme in the 1960s, which urged millions of people to support the US space programme.
It is based on five ‘Earthshot’ goals: Protect and restore nature; Fix our climate; Clean our air; Revive our oceans; Build a waste-free world. Five £1 million prizes will be awarded each year for the next ten years, providing at least 50 solutions to the world’s greatest environmental problems by 2030.
During his jam-packed first day, the father-of-three travelled to the Jewel in the Changi Airport to officially commence the countdown to Tuesday’s awards ceremony.
The iconic landmark, opened in 2019, is located at the heart of the airport and features an array of attractions including a mirror maze, a canopy park and an indoor waterfall which was lit up green to mark Earthshot’s arrival in Singapore.
READ: Prince William Shares Update On George During Latest Visit
Royal well-wishers couldn’t contain their excitement as Prince William paused to take selfies and spoke to gathering crowds.
During one particularly heartwarming exchange, he interacted with an eight-month-old baby called Albane who flashed a cheeky smile before gently biting down on the father-of-three’s finger.
Unfazed by the playful interaction, Prince William continued to smile and spoke to the tiny tot’s parents.Â
PrÃncipe William com a pequena Albane Costa 🫶🥹pic.twitter.com/HkECJmgNbn
— The Wales Brasil (@thewalesbrasil) November 5, 2023
Singaporean mother Lina Soho and her two children Rania and Rauf subsequently presented Prince William with gifts including a portrait of the royal on a horse.
Prince William was accompanied by Hon. Mrs. Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of National Development. A former civil servant, she has been serving as Senior Minister of State for National Development since 2020 and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs since 2021 where she is the lead minister for the UK-Singapore relationship.