Prince William at the Earthshot Prize ceremony.Photo: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
Prince William’sEarthshot Prizeis now an independent charity.
After two years as part ofPrince WilliamandKate Middleton’s Royal Foundation, theEarthshot Prizeofficially become an independent charity on Friday.Prince Williamwill take on the role of president.
Four new trustees — CEO of Conservation International M. Sanjayan, former CEO of The Royal Foundation Jason Knauf, former assistant private secretary toPrince WilliamZoe Ware and former private secretary toPrince WilliamJean Christophe Gray — were all appointed to the Board. They join Chair Christiana Figueres, Vice-Chair David Fein, and Founding Trustee ‘Tokunboh Ishmael.
Figueres said: “This is an enormously exciting step for The Earthshot Prize and we’re thrilled to welcome the new Trustees to our board. This year will see the Prize deliver its most important work to date as we continue to speed and scale the ground breaking work of our 2021 Finalists, whilst searching for this year’s Winners. We are deeply grateful for the years of thought leadership, bold creativity and ambitious design of the team at The Royal Foundation as they created The Earthshot Prize, and look forward to the coming years of continued partnership.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton at the 2021 Earthshot Prize Awards.Joe Maher/Getty
“The urgency of the situation can’t be overstated,” Williamtold PEOPLEexclusively following the inaugural Earthshot Prize ceremony in October. “But through the Earthshot Prize, I want to show people across the world why there is reason to be hopeful.”
Since he first conceived of the Earthshot Prize, William has always had childrenPrince George, 8,Princess Charlotte, 7, andPrince Louis, 4, in mind.
According to Knauf, “The challenge the Duke set himself was, ‘What is the maximum positive personal contribution I can make in the next 10 years in the fight against climate change? What am I going to do in the next decade that means I can look my children in the eye and say that I did my bit?’ Every aspect of the Prize bears the stamp of his contribution.”
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Prince Williamannounced that the 2022 Earthshot Prize awards will take place in the United States.
source: people.com
