Prince William meets young environmentalists and plays rugby on first day of South Africa visit – WTOP News

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) – Britain’s Prince William gave words of encouragement to a group of young environmentalists and later joined a rugby practice at a local school as he opened his visit to South Africa on Monday. will focus more on climate change. conservation.

The Prince of Wales will hold four days of talks in Cape Town, where he will see his annual Earthshot Prize of $1.2 million awarded to five organizations for innovative environmental ideas. The awards ceremony will be held in a 470 meter long reusable space which will be packed and moved after the event.

The Earthshot awards on Wednesday night are the highlight of William’s trip to South Africa’s second largest city. But the 42-year-old heir to the throne will also attend a global wildlife conference, visit a botanical garden on the slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain, spend time at a marine rescue center and meet the local fishing community.

The prince will use the visit to highlight other issues close to his heart, such as the work of rangers on the front lines of conservation efforts, officials said.

William’s first commitment was to connect with over 100 young environmentalists aged between 18 and 35, who sat in small groups and discussed climate and conservation issues. William jumped from one group to another and spent a few minutes talking to them.

“I liked talking to you today. What you all do is amazing,” William said finally. “You are the leaders. You are the people who will make a difference going forward. Your solutions and your influence are very important and needed now. ”

William created the Earthshot Prize through the Royal Foundation in 2020 to encourage new ideas to solve environmental problems, with a focus on young entrepreneurs and innovators. It started in 2021 and the first three award ceremonies were held in Britain, the United States and Singapore.

William last visited Africa in 2018 but has a strong connection to the continent. He went there as a boy after the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a car crash in Paris in 1997. He and his wife, Kate, got engaged at a game reserve in Kenya in 2010. We came up with the idea of ​​the Earthshot Awards while in Namibia in 2018.

“Africa has always had a special place in my heart as I found solace in my youth, where I proposed to my wife, and more recently, as the founder of the Earthshot Prize, ” William said in a statement before his visit. .

Kate, Princess of Wales, and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are not visiting South Africa. Kate, 42, recently returned to public duties after completing treatment for an undisclosed cancer.

William’s visit follows shortly after his brother Harry, Duke of Sussex, visited South Africa and neighboring Lesotho last month for a youth charity he founded in South Africa with a member of the family. the kingdom of Lesotho.

The visit also comes as the finances of William and his father, King Charles III, are being scrutinized following an investigation by The Sunday Times newspaper and Britain’s Channel 4 television. The investigation found their estates The private sector makes millions of pounds by leasing property to government agencies, including the armed forces, the National Health Service and public schools.

These two areas, the duke’s Duchy of Lancaster and the duke’s Duchy of Cornwall, have commercial, residential and agricultural estates that provide personal income to members of the royal family.

The Duchy of Lancaster responded that while the king has an interest in the estate, day-to-day operations are overseen by an independent council and administrators. The Duchy of Cornwall says the building is driven by business need “along with our commitment to restoring the natural environment and creating a positive impact on our community.”

William briefly distanced himself from environmental issues and went to a high school in the poor neighborhood of Ocean View on the outskirts of Cape Town on Monday.

There, William – dressed in a dark suit and blue shirt – took part in rugby practice. He kicked and passed the ball but it was also a goal play from a few of the youngsters. They shouted: “Let’s fight the prince!” before the two of them grabbed William who was smiling.

Rugby is one of the most popular sports in South Africa and its national team is the reigning world champion. Three former South African rugby players were at training to greet the prince.

William is also a sports fan and a spokesman for Kensington Palace has promised that the prince will play rugby.

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Associated Press reporter Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.

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