William: Be bold, be brave be creative... This is the critical decade for change
PRINCE William compared his Earthshot Prize to a “large dating service” as he praised past finalists yesterday.
The Prince of Wales urged audience members to “be bold, be brave and be creative” at an event celebrating the success stories of participants in his eco awards.
Joining a panel discussion at the Sky Garden in central London, William was joined by fashion designer Stella McCartney and actress Hannah Waddingham.
Hannah, who hosted last year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony in Singapore, asked the royal for his message to the Earthshot Prize finalists – who could win one of five £1million investments – as well as patrons and philanthropists. William said: “This is the critical decade for change so impact is something I’m very alive to at the moment.
“I say to the team, ‘Come on, what’s the next thing? What are we doing?’ Be bold, be brave, be creative. There’s so much creativity out there.
“I think the Earthshot Prize is a large dating service.We put brilliant people, and innovators, alongside people who can move things.”
He said the talk around environmental problems had previously been “very negative, very doom and gloom”. His aim was to bring “hope, optimism and urgent action” to solve the problems threatening the planet.
Ted Lasso star Hannah, chairing the session, described the Prince’s awards as something that “started as a beautiful glimmer in your eye and now has grown into, without doubt, the world’s most prestigious environmental prize”.
The 2024 Earthshot Prize winners will be announced at a ceremony in Cape Town in November.