Speaking on stage at London’s Alexandra Palace at the end of the inaugural ceremony Sunday night, Prince William said: “London and the UK has put on quite a show for our first year. So for the second year, we need to pass the baton to a country whose leadership is essential for all five of our Earthshots.
“Where better than the nation that inspired the Moonshot all those years ago? I’m delighted to announce that the Earthshot Prize will be heading to the United States of America in 2022.”
His younger brother, Harry, lives in America with wife Meghan. The couple moved to California in March last year.
William created the annual awards to honour people trying to save the planet.
There were five winners announced in London, each receiving £1 million. He arrived at the event by electric Audi car, dressed in an “upcycled” green velvet blazer and polo neck, which co-host Dermot O’Leary later jokingly described as “looking very Bond”.
His wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, wore an Alexander McQueen dress made for her in 2011. Harry Potter star Emma Watson, who wore a wedding dress made from 10 Oxfam outfits, and Dame Emma Thompson were among those who trod the ceremony’s green carpet.
The winners were selected from five categories by judges including broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. The awards were inspired by the Apollo moon landings, nicknamed Moonshot, which helped advance technology.
Among the winners were projects restoring coral reefs, redistributing unwanted food to the disadvantaged and a project battling the issues contributing to air pollution in India.
The duchess presented the winning award in the “protect and restore nature” category to the government of Costa Rica, which has pioneered a project paying local citizens to restore ecosystems. She said: “Nature is vital to us all. A thriving natural world, regulates our planet, nurtures our physical and mental health and helps feed our families.”
At the end of the event, William said: “For too long, we haven’t done enough to protect the planet. For your future, the Earthshot is for you. In the next 10 years, we are going to act. We are going to find the solutions to repair our planet.”
