Prince William and Robert Irwin Join Forces in Cape Town for Earthshot Prize

The Prince of Wales is kicking off the second day of Earthshot Week with a particular visitor

took an early morning stroll beneath South Africa’s iconic Desk Mountain on Tuesday, Nov. 5, setting the stage for his Earthshot Prize awards in Cape City.

The 42-year-old royal was joined by Australian TV persona , son of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin and a . They walked in a bunch via Sign Hill, a scenic overlook above Cape City, to highlight the pressing want for biodiversity conservation. The Mayor of Cape City, Geordin Hill-Lewis, joined them for the ultimate a part of the stroll.

Within the beautiful park that varieties a part of the Cape Floral Kingdom World Heritage Web site, William engaged with rangers, conservationists, firefighters, mountain rescue volunteers, biodiversity specialists and youth advocates. This distinctive space, recognized for its uncommon and endangered plant species, is important for international biodiversity. William spoke with the native specialists in regards to the important work they do to guard the area’s wealthy natural world, balancing preservation with accessibility for residents and guests alike.

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The stroll and conversations underscored William’s dedication to environmental stewardship simply earlier than the Earthshot Prize awards on Nov. 6, the place he’ll honor groundbreaking efforts to heal the planet.

On the prime of the stroll, a viewpoint over the suburbs of Cape City and the South Atlantic ocean under, the Prince was then taken to fulfill a bunch of children from the Mayine Afrika E Basis which promotes psychological and bodily wellbeing of their neighborhood of Nyanga.

Founder Bathandwa ‘Simply B’ Diniso advised him how they use outings to the Mountain and parks to encourage appreciation of nature and caring for it. She tells PEOPLE, “He was so chilled! He’s a cool man. There was no want for [the children] to panic. I wasn’t! That’s as a result of I may see with the way in which he interacts with the individuals.”

She provides, “He was asking us what we do and what the imaginative and prescient is. Our imaginative and prescient is to lift youngsters who’re going to get up every day impressed, motivated and wanting to be taught. We introduce the youngsters to the parks and nature. As soon as they perceive nature they will maintain it.”

“The mountain, the parks, nature are serving to. He mentioned he loves it and he wished to seek out out from the youngsters may they work, do they see alternatives and would they be capable to volunteer and what do they consider dialog. They mentioned we have to maintain this.”

On the finish of their stroll, they have been met by the Mayor of Cape City Geordin Hill-Lewis. He tells PEOPLE, “He commented on the fantastic thing about the mountain and the park.”

“Each days what struck me is how genuinely and fascinating he’s. I clearly meet lots of international dignitaries, however he strikes me as one which’s genuinely within the points that he’s working whereas he’s right here and really, very partaking,” he added. “It’s clearly from the guts, and I used to be very impressed.”

The mayor added that having the prince go to was a lift to the world.

“It’s actually fantastic and priceless for Cape City to have the eyes of the world drawn to our truthful metropolis due to the Earthshot Prize, and we’re actually grateful to the prince and the palace for selecting Cape City this yr,” he mentioned.

Irwin and the prince — who wore a shirt by EcoAlf and a inexperienced jacket by British firm Rapanui — have been allies within the battle for the planet for a number of years. , Irwin, alongside along with his sister , 26, and the remainder of their household, passionately help their animal conservation basis, Wildlife Warriors, and work to guard endangered species via .

Final yr, Irwin known as William “a within the conservation discipline.”

“It’s arduous to place into phrases simply how large Earthshot is for wildlife conservation, for local weather motion, for the world. For Prince William, who has such an important platform, to lend his voice, his sources into creating constructive change is such a refreshing, fantastic factor to see. I applaud what he’s doing,” he tells PEOPLE.

For his second outing on Nov. 5, Prince William met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the president’s official residence in Cape City. The go to highlighted an vital side of William’s position on this mini-tour: his soft-power diplomacy, an extension of the work that he, his father , and different senior royals undertake on behalf of the U.Okay. authorities.

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William’s spokesman famous that comparable high-level conferences, like his assembly with President Biden throughout the Earthshot Prize occasion in and his assembly with Singapore’s president final yr, have develop into a “golden thread” in his Earthshot visits.

Antony Phillipson, the British Excessive Commissioner to South Africa, emphasised that William’s go to represents “the very best stage of engagement” between the 2 nations and “connects the narrative” from King Charles’ first state go to as monarch two years in the past.

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“We very a lot see this as a observe as much as the state go to of November 2022 which we proceed to see right here as a really historic second via the UK and South Africa, as the primary state go to hosted by His Majesty the King,” he added.

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Additionally attending the assembly have been U.Okay. Overseas Secretary David Lammy and South African Minister of Justice and Correctional Providers Ronald Lamola, underscoring what Phillipson described as a “actually vital” bilateral relationship.