Prince William Speaks Nine African Languages During Speech at Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Chris Jackson/Getty

Chris Jackson/Getty

Prince Williamspoke nine African languages during his speech at the Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony.

The Prince of Wales, 42, has been in Cape Town, South Africa this week for the fourth iteration of his environmental initiative’s annual awards ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Five winners were chosen from a group of 15 finalists to receive $1.3 million dollars and a chance to bring their idea to improve the planet to fruition.

At the event, Prince William delivered greetings in nine languages representing North, East, West and South Africa. He said “Sanibonani” in Zulu, which is spoken in South Africa; “Dumelang” in Sesotho, also spoken in South Africa; “Ekaabo” in Yoruba, spoken in West Africa; “Saanu” in Hausa, spoken in North Africa; “Akawaaba” in Twi Ghana, also spoken in North Africa; “Dankie” in Afrikaans, spoken in South Africa; “Enkosi” in Xhosa, also spoken in South Africa; “Daalu” in Igbo, spoken in East Africa; and “Asante” in Swahili, also spoken in East Africa.

Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks with fellow guests as he takes his seat during the 2024 Earthshot Prize awards ceremony on Nov. 6, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa.Phil Noble-Pool/Getty

Phil Noble-Pool/Getty

It was a sign of respect to a continent the prince said “has always held a special place in my heart.” After the death of his mother,Princess Diana, when he was 15 years old, Prince William said he found “comfort as a teenager” in Africa; he’d later propose toKate Middletonthere in 2010. As he mentioned in his Nov. 6 remarks, Africa also inspired his landmark environmental initiative The Earthshot Prize, founded in 2020 after a trip to Namibia and Tanzania in 2018 and the “sense of optimism” he encountered.

Speaking about The Earthshot Prize, William said, “It was an idea that first came to me on African soil. During a trip to Namibia and Tanzania, I was lucky enough 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 continued. “Thanks to their ingenuity and creativity, biodiversity was returning, animals were being protected and jobs were being created. I saw first-hand 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.”

“However, I believe our world can be rich in possibility, in hope and in optimism. That is why The Earthshot Prize exists,” he added. “To champion the game-changers, the inventors, the makers, the creatives, the leaders. To help them build upon the amazing things they’ve already achieved. To speed their innovations to scale. And to inspire the next generation to create the future we all need.”

The Earthshot Prize has received over 5,000 nominations since its inception four years ago, William said, adding that in 2024 alone nearly 400 were from Africa.

“Each of those solutions should be seen as a reminder that Africa is a hub of creativity and innovation that will solve our planet’s toughest environmental challenges,” William said, adding in his remarks that Africa is “The continent that, despite contributing the least to global warming, is amongst the most vulnerable to its impact.”

The Earthshot Prize Awards marked the apex of a week’s worth of outings in Cape Town for Prince William, who will depart from South Africa on Nov. 7. Prince William attended the Earthshot Prize Awards solo as the Princess of Wales, 42, continues her gradual return to work following her announcement on Sept. 9 that she had completed chemotherapy. Celebrities likeRobert Irwin,Heidi Klum,Nina Dobrevand the ceremony’s co-hostBilly Porterhelped Prince William award the five winners.

In the category Fix Our Climate,Advanced Thermovoltaic Systemswas named the winner. In Revive Our Oceans,High Ambition Coalition for Nature and Peoplewon the award, andKeep IT Cooltook home the prize for Build a Waste-Free World. In the category Protect and Restore Nature,Alytn Dala Conservation Initiativewas named the winner, andGreen Africa Youth Organization (GAYO)won in the Clean Our Air category.

Prince William, Prince of Wales walks with co-host Nomzamo Mbatha and Australian conservationist and television presenter Robert Irwin as they arrive for the 2024 Earthshot Prize awards ceremony on Nov. 6, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa.Phil Noble-Pool/Getty

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“That’s why we’re here,” the Prince of Wales said in his speech at the event. “To champion the dreamers, the thinkers and the innovators from every walk of life, who share an ambition to build a better, more sustainable world.”

“We’ll do everything we can to support them and help speed their solutions to scale. Because when they succeed, we all succeed. When they thrive, we all thrive. And when they win, we all win,” he concluded.

Lebo M, who performed at Table Mountain for the start of the show, says, “I’m still high on it. I’m South African. I’ve been all over the world but I’ve never been that near the top of Table Mountain. It was an eye-opener. And considering why I’m here — that made it even more special.”

(L-R) Host Bonang Matheba, Host Billy Porter, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Earthshot Prize Ambassador Robert Irwin and Earthshot Prize Ambassador and Host of Earthshot Week Nomzamo Mbatha attend the 2024 Earthshot Prize at Green Point Shared Fields on Nov. 6, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa.Chris Jackson/Getty

She adds, “The prince has been having a great time. On Monday, with the young climate leaders, was amazing, and he was with the finalists today and was asking him lots of questions. We’re all really pleased. We couldn’t be more happier.”

The awards ceremony makes them feel great, and the finalists are “now on the fellowship program.” She adds, “We don’t care who wins [the Prize]. What we care about is tomorrow morning we get up and we start helping them all to speed their solutions to scale.”

Performers onstage at the Earthshot Prize Awards in Cape Town, South Africa on Nov. 6, 2024.WAYNE REICHE

WAYNE REICHE

Kelly Adams, CEO of Fix Our Climate winner Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems, would agree with that.

“We’ve really bonded as a group and we cheer for each other. For all of us who spend so much time on our solutions and then you see something like [the awards ceremony] that focuses on us, it’s really quite amazing,” he says.

Reflecting on meeting Prince William at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, he says, “It was really insightful to see just how much energy he had spent to come and see us and understand our solutions and how we fit. He knew about each and every one of us and the importance of what we are doing. And it was insightful to see how he took the time and he really articulated why we were finalists for the year.”

“You could tell he was very involved and really focused on what we are doing,” Adams adds.

source: people.com