Prince William and Kate Middleton have shared an enigmatic video of the Duke looking out at a hovering drone as they tease a ‘new announcement’ for his Earthshot Prize.
Taking to the Kensington Palace Instagram page, the Duke of Cambridge, 39, can be seen looking out into the distance as he controls a drone which hovers at his eye-level in the sky.
Alongside the ambiguous clip, the royal teased: ‘@earthshotprize news coming later this week…’
Launched on 8th October by the father-of-three and a global coalition of individuals, businesses and organisations, The Earthshot Prize aims to find new solutions to the world’s biggest environmental problems.
Prince William, 39, and Kate Middleton have shared an enigmatic video of the Duke looking out at a hovering drone as they promoted a ‘new announcement’ for his Earthshot Prize (pictured)
Alongside the ambiguous clip, the royal teased: ‘@earthshotprize news coming later this week…’ (pictured)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for the Closing Ceremony of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, at Assembly Hall in Edinburgh. Picture date: Thursday May 27 2021
Dubbed ‘the green Nobel Prize’ nominees can be individuals, communities, businesses and organisations whose solutions make the most progress towards achieving the five Earthshots – simple but ambitious goals which if achieved by 2030 will improve life for us all, for generations to come.
The Duke of Cambridge has followed in his father Prince Charles’ footsteps as a passionate campaigner to live in a greener world, with him previously saying he ‘gets upset and is kept awake at night by politicians’ failure to act over climate change.
In a conversation with environmental campaigners, he said: ‘That is what I get most troubled about. Especially as I’m in a position of responsibility if you like, or leadership. I feel I can do a lot more if given that ability.
‘So therefore I don’t understand why those who have the levers, don’t. I think that’s what really upsets me and keeps me awake at night.’
Launched on 8th October by Prince William and a global coalition of individuals, businesses and organisations, The Earthshot Prize aims to find new solutions to the world’s biggest environmental problems. Pictured, the Duke controlling a drone
The launch of the Prize came after two years of work by Prince William and The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to develop a project which supports the global effort to protect and restore the environment.
Every year from 2021 until 2030, Prince William, alongside The Earthshot Prize Council, will award The Earthshot Prize to five winners, one per Earthshot.
Together, the five Earthshots, – ‘Protect and restore nature’, ‘Clean our air’, ‘Revive our oceans’, ‘Build a waste-free world’ and ‘Fix our climate’ – form a unique set of challenges rooted in science, which aim to generate new ways of thinking, as well as new technologies, systems, policies and solutions.
Nominations which opened in November 2020 is just the first-step in a five step process which will include screening, a shortlist, and selection, with the prizes awarded each year in different cities across the globe between 2021 and 2030.
The process has been designed in partnership with the Centre for Public Impact and a range of international experts.
Screening began from February as part of an independent assessment process run by Deloitte, before shortlisted solutions being subject to a final evaluation including in-person or virtual site visits and meetings in early summer.
A distinguished panel of experts support the judging process, making recommendations to the Earthshot Prize Council who will select the final winners ahead of the annual award ceremony, the first of which will take place in London in 2021.
The Earthshot Prize’s nominators have been selected for their ability to identify the most impactful solutions to the five Earthshot challenges across all countries and sectors, from grassroots to businesses.
After the awards, each winner will receive a global platform and prestigious profile, with their stories being showcased over the decade and the ambition that their solutions lead to mass adoption, replication and scaling.
The £1 million in prize money will support environmental and conservation projects that are agreed with the winners. Shortlisted nominees will also be given tailored support and opportunities to help scale their work, including being connected with an ecosystem of likeminded individuals and organisations.
The social media post comes after Kate Middleton stepped up her early years campaign last week with the launch of a new initiative dedicated to raising awareness of and driving action on this crucial period in a child’s life.
Kate is launching The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which will drive focus on bringing to light the extraordinary impact of the early years in order to transform society for generations to come.
The mother-of-three, who has championed the cause since she joined the Royal Family, stressed our first five years ‘lay important foundations for our future selves’ and ultimately ‘shapes the adults and the parents we become’.
Kate Middleton’s ambitious new initiative will reportedly equal Prince William’s £50million Earthshot Prize, reports the Daily Telegraph.