The Duke of Cambridge announced details of the inaugural Earthshot Prize Awards in a new video shared on Instagram on Friday.
The footage captured by a drone camera showed Prince William in front of the ornate Alexandra Palace Rose Window before panning round to capture the London skyline.
The Duke says: “Join me for the first-ever Earth shot Prize Awards, where we’ll unveil five global prizewinners and their game-changing solutions to repair our planet, on October 17th, here in London.”
Royal fans were quick to comment on William’s big announcement on social media, with one saying: “Wonderful Prince William! And beautiful video from Alexandra Palace in London.”
Another said: “So exciting! I can’t wait to hear of the solutions to tackle some of the planet’s environmental challenges. It’s gonna be great!! What a game changer this is!””
A third said: “This is very exciting. Can’t wait for it!”
The inaugural awards ceremony at Alexandra Palace will celebrate the incredible global finalists before awarding the first five winners of The Earth shot Prize. It will also feature “some of the world’s leading performers, all committed to repairing our planet”.
William said, to mark the venue announcement: “By hosting COP26 conference in Glasgow just weeks after our inaugural awards, the UK is helping lead the world in tackling climate change.
“London is a fantastic location to showcase this leadership, spotlight the finalists and award our very first Earth shot Prize winners.”
The prize takes its inspiration from the late US president John F. Kennedy’s ambitious Moonshot lunar space programme of the 1960s, which helped advance mankind’s technological achievements.
It features five categories, or Earthshots, which organisers say if achieved by 2030 would improve life for all.
Every year from 2021 until the end of the decade, winners of the five Earthshots will each receive £1 million to be used for their solutions.
Sir David Attenborough, who has supported the project from the beginning, is a member of the Earthshot Prize council, which will choose the winners. Fellow judges include actress Cate Blanchett, singer Shakira, and Queen Rania Jordan.
For more information about The Earthshot Prize, visit: www.earthshotprize.org
