A Royal Token of Love: Prince William Wears Princess Charlotte's Bracelet to Earthshot Prize Ceremony
Prince William has shared a touching moment from his recent trip to South Africa, revealing a sweet promise he made to his daughter, Princess Charlotte. During the 2024 Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony in Cape Town, an observant attendee spotted a bracelet on the prince's wrist. The accessory resembled a friendship bracelet, a popular item among Taylor Swift fans who crafted and shared them during her Eras Tour concerts.
The prince described the bracelet as "a memento from a Taylor Swift concert that my daughter decided she wanted to create a bracelet for." The bracelet, which simply reads "Papa," was a gift from Charlotte, 9, who asked her father to wear it during his trip to South Africa. "She gave it to me when I left, so I promised I'd wear it and try not to lose it," William said.
The royal family, including William, Charlotte, and Prince George, 11, attended the Eras Tour on June 21 at London's Wembley Stadium to celebrate the future king's birthday. Both William and Swift shared photos from their backstage meeting, with the prince captioning his post, "Thank you @taylorswift for a great evening! #LondonTSTheErastour." Swift, in her Instagram post, wrote, "Happy Bday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start."
William's visit to South Africa was centered around the Earthshot Prize Ceremony, an annual event for his Earthshot organization aimed at addressing environmental crises. The prince opened the event and began his speech using phrases from nine African languages, a gesture of respect for a continent that holds a special place in his heart. William and his brother, Prince Harry, spent time in Africa after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. The continent also holds sentimental value as the place where William proposed to his now-wife, Kate Middleton, in 2010.
The Earthshot Prize was conceived after William's visit to Namibia and Tanzania in 2018. "It was an idea that first came to me on African soil," he said. "During a trip to Namibia and Tanzania, I was fortunate to see some of the stunning wildlife that calls this continent home. But what really struck me was the incredible impact local people were having on the environment around them." He added, "Thanks to their ingenuity and creativity, biodiversity was returning, animals were being protected, and jobs were being created." William continued, "I saw firsthand the extent to which people were dedicating their time, talent, and vision to fixing environmental challenges, but they weren't getting the support they needed to speed their solutions to scale or to have them replicated worldwide."
According to the Earthshot website, the prize aims to "regenerate the place we call home in the next ten years" and "searches the globe for game-changing innovations that will help us repair our planet, awarding the very best five solutions each year with £1 million to scale their work." After ceremonies in London, Boston, and Singapore, the Earthshot Prize journeyed to Cape Town for its 2024 ceremony. Hosted by Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Billy Porter and award-winning television presenter Bonang Matheba, the event streamed live on YouTube and opened with a pre-recorded performance by Lebo M. of "Circle of Life" from "The Lion King" filmed at the top of Table Mountain.
Prior to the ceremony, celebrities and other guests walked the green carpet, hosted by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu and Moozlie. The 2024 Earthshot ceremony placed particular emphasis on sustainable fashion, encouraging guests to rewear pieces from their wardrobe or choose clothes that spotlight African designers. Celebrities in attendance included Heidi Klum, Winnie Harlow, Nina Dobrev, Shaun White, and Robert Irwin, who is also a global ambassador for the Earthshot Prize.
On Tuesday, Prince William visited Table Mountain with Irwin, where they were joined by the Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, for a walk along Signal Hill to highlight the need for biodiversity conservation. Later that day, William met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the leader's official residence. Meanwhile, Kate Middleton stayed behind in the UK with their three children—George, Charlotte, and Louis, 6. The princess has been easing back into work after her battle with cancer earlier this year. Speaking with Sky News on Wednesday, the prince gave an update on his wife's health, saying she's "doing really well." "She's been amazing this whole year," he added. "I know she will be really keen to see tonight be a success."
Source link: https://nypost.com
