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By James Crawford-Smith
Royal Reporter
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Over the past decade Prince William has slowly taken on more responsibility within the monarchy, transitioning first from Air Ambulance pilot to full-time working royal, then to Prince of Wales and most senior member of the monarchy after King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The prince is patron of a number of charities and organizations that connect with his personal interests in the fields of mental health, homelessness, conservation and, perhaps most prominently, the environment.
Much of William's work is conducted through the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, which he heads up with Princess Kate. Through this he runs his homelessness initiative, Homewards, as well as the animal conservation taskforce United for Wildlife.
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The jewel so far in the prince's crown, however, is his Earthshot Prize, an initiative that was first founded through the Royal Foundation but which soon grew into its own charitable organization.
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Here, as Prince William celebrates his 42nd birthday, Newsweek takes a closer look at his biggest project to date.
What is The Earthshot Prize?
The Earthshot Prize is a scheme launched by Prince William in 2020 to identify and fund eco initiatives from around the world, seeking to benefit the environment in some way.
The term "Earthshot" was coined as a tribute to President John F. Kennedy's 1962 "Moonshot" speech, in which he set out America's ambitious challenge to put a man on the moon. Earthshot's mission to protect and restore the planet sets in place a similar ambitious challenge.
Within the prize there are five Earthshots. These are: protect and restore nature; clean our air; revive our oceans; build a waste-free world; and fix our climate.
Each year, five grants of £1 million ($1.2 million) raised through partnerships and donations are awarded to a single eco initiative working to benefit each of the five Earthshots.
This funding is used to scale-up the production of whatever process or product the initiative has developed and a shortlist of qualifying businesses are nominated by a council of judges. These include Queen Rania of Jordan, Sir David Attenborough, Cate Blanchett, Stella McCartney and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The prizes are presented in a high-profile awards ceremony hosted in a major city that makes a considerable contribution to the environment.
So far, there have been 15 Earthshot Prize winners, with a fund distribution of £15 million ($19 million).
These include Notpla, a company developing and distributing a biodegradable alternative to plastic to be used for product packaging.
The prize was launched in 2020 and distributed its first awards in 2021. Though initially set up through the Royal Foundation, in 2022 the prize separated to become its own charity. Among the trustees of the charity are former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
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What is Prince William's Involvement With The Earthshot Prize?
Prince William launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020 and today is the charity's president.
The royal takes an involved interest in the prize nominees and winners, often incorporating visits to initiatives into his diary of royal engagements, as well as hosting events connected with the charity.
Since 2022, the Earthshot Prize has held an innovation summit in New York City with partner institution the Bloomberg Philanthropies. The summit has been used to unveil the 15 prize finalists before the annual awards ceremony.
William was unable to attend the 2022 summit as it took place in the weeks after Queen Elizabeth II's death. However, he attended in 2023, also taking part in panel discussions and meetings.
William attends the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony each year.
Where Will The Next Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony Take Place?
The annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony takes place in a different world city each year. The first in 2021 was held in London, the second in 2022 in Boston and the third in 2023 in Singapore.
The 2024 awards ceremony is set to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, in November. Dates for the event are expected to be released in due course.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek*'s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on* Newsweek*'s The Royals Facebook page.*
Do you have a question about King Charles III and Queen Camilla, William and Princess Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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