Prince William has opened up about his concerns for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis’s futures in a candid new interview. Ahead of the fifth annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony, which is being held in Brazil, the Prince of Wales spoke to Hello Magazine about the hopes for the years to come.
Referring to his three children, William said: “As a father, I think constantly about the world my children will inherit. I want them to grow up surrounded by nature, opportunity and a sense of hope about the future. But I also know that unless we act boldly now, that future is at risk.
“The Earthshot Prize is about turning the tide, about proving to our children that we are willing to fight for their tomorrow.”
Prince William first launched the environmental prize in October 2020, and this week, the awards ceremony will be hosted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Speaking of the refusal to give up on the planet and his children’s futures, William added: “Urgent optimism is the heartbeat of The Earthshot Prize. It’s the belief that although the challenges we face are immense, the solutions are within reach and we must act with speed and conviction to bring them to life.
“It’s not blind hope. It’s hope backed by evidence, by ingenuity and by the courage of those who refuse to give up on our planet.”
The future King will be joined by A-list performers including Kylie Minogue, singer, Shawn Mendes. and the Brazilian stars Gilberto Gil, Seu Jorge and Anitta who all believe in the initiative.
William added: “By hosting the prize in Brazil, we’re shining a light on the solutions emerging from this part of the world and drawing global attention to the urgency and opportunity of climate action.”
Alongside attending Earthshot events, he’ll deliver a speech at the United for Wildlife Summit, which is this year focusing on supporting the Indigenous peoples and communities who help safeguard our planet, as well as action against environmental crime.
Jason Knauf, the chief executive of The Earthshot Prize, also told Hello! Magazine, about the Prince’s passion for the environment. He said: “He feels that he has a responsibility to make a contribution in this way. It’s a longstanding family tradition, of working on the environment, and he felt that he had to do it in a way that reflected not only who he was, but also what the modern world expects of its leaders.
“He also felt that there weren’t a lot of voices that had the ability to talk about environmental issues in a positive way and give a long-term view, in the way that he does.”
The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer from Saturday.