By Daniel Bates in New York and Iwan Stone
20:30 18 September 2023, updated 21:00 18 September 2023
- Tomorrow, William will announce the 15 finalists for this year’s Earthshot Prize
Prince William said it was “so good to be back” in the US after arriving to announce the finalists for the 2023 Earthshot Prize.
The Prince of Wales said “no one does optimism and resourcefulness like the American people” as he arrived at Newark Airport last night for a two-day trip.
William, who was flying a commercial jet and traveling without the Princess of Wales, went straight from the airport to Governor’s Island, which lies in New York Harbor.
There, he was to learn about the Billion Oyster Project, which aims to clean up the waters around New York by placing a billion oyster shells in them by 2035 to act as natural filters.
Tomorrow, William will announce the 15 finalists for this year’s Earthshot Prize, which honors companies and projects focused on climate solutions.
It appears there are no plans to see his estranged brother in the US – just days after Prince Harry’s Invictus Games ended in Düsseldorf, Germany.
William helped set up the 2020 awards and each year five winners will receive £1m for their project.
Arriving at the airport, he said: “It’s great to be back in the United States. Nobody does optimism and ingenuity like Americans, so it’s only right that we unveil this year’s Earthshot finalists in New York.
“Eighty years ago, the world came together in this great city to find, through the United Nations, a new way to solve our common challenges.
“I know our generation can take the bold steps we need to make the changes towards a healthy and sustainable world. The challenge may seem enormous, but as John F. Kennedy taught us, we rise to the challenge not because it is easy, but because it is hard. And vital’.
At Governor’s Island, William was expected to meet school children studying marine biology and talk to staff at the Billion Oyster Project.
He should have seen the giant pile of oyster shells donated to 75 New York restaurants instead of sending them to landfills.
And then—despite the gray sky and the rain—he was to wade from the little beach to the East River and put some oysters in the water.
The Prince left the Princess of Wales at home with the children while he traveled to the US – with Kate also not expected to join him at the Earthshot Awards in Singapore in November.
William was in Boston last year to announce the winners of the 2020 Earthshot Prize.
William founded the awards in 2020 and said he wanted to turn “the current pessimism around environmental issues into optimism by celebrating the people and places that are driving change”.
Each year from 2021 to 2030, the award ceremony will recognize winners in five award categories who create innovations that solve environmental problems. Each winner will receive £1 million to support and expand their work.
But this is William’s first visit to New York since 2014, which was postponed last year due to the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Ahead of William’s arrival, a Kensington Palace spokesman said: “The Prince was incredibly grateful for the love and support shown by the American people during this time.
“He’s very excited to be back in New York this week and hopefully meet as many New Yorkers as possible.”
Along the way, William is scheduled to visit a Manhattan fire station to meet with first responders and talk about mental health — his trip comes just one week after the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
He is also scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres during the week when the UN General Assembly is in session.
A meeting with US President Joe Biden, who is attending, is “unlikely”, a Kensington Palace spokesman said – the two men met in Boston last year.
It comes just days after his brother Prince Harry told veterans they “shouldn’t feel lost without a uniform” during an emotional closing speech at the Invictus Games – three years after he was stripped of his military titles following Megxit.
The Duke of Sussex was visibly emotional during his final heartfelt speech at the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The 39-year-old said during his five-minute closing speech that they “don’t have to rely on the uniform” nor should they “feel lost” without it.
Prince Harry himself has been out of uniform since he and Meghan moved out of the UK in 2020 and were stripped of their military ranks.
At the Queen’s funeral last year, Harry was pictured in a suit, while his father King Charles and his older brother Prince William wore uniforms.
Speaking at the Invictus Games about why veterans don’t need to rely on their uniforms, Harry added: “Why? Because everything you need is already within you. Tomorrow you will each leave with memories that are different and unique to you.
“But I hope that every memory you make brings a smile to your face through a sense of belonging and opportunities for you and your family to look forward to with value and purpose. ‘
Harry also told the contestants how their “vulnerability” had “opened the hearts” of millions of people around the world.
Meghan Markle stood alongside her husband in the crowd in a glowing green dress. During the ceremony, she couldn’t hide her pride as she beamed at Team USA as they took their seats at the Invictus Games closing ceremony.
