HIS GREATEST GIFT

The Prince of Wales tells Hello! how George, Charlotte and Louis inspire his mission to protect the planet through the Earthshot Prize

- REPORT: EMILY NASH

It's been five years since the Prince of Wales launched his ambitious £50-million Earthshot Prize to find 50 solutions to the planet's biggest problems. Now, midway through a critical decade, Prince William's passion project is making great strides, even if there is still a lot to do.

For the future King, there can be no greater motivation than his own children: Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Prince Louis.

Speaking exclusively to Hello! ahead of this year's Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, William, 43, explains, "As a father, I think constantly about the world my children will inherit. I want them to grow up surrounded by nature, opportunity and a sense of hope about the future.

"But I also know that, unless we act boldly now, that future is at risk. The Earthshot Prize is about turning the tide, about proving to our children that we are willing to fight for their tomorrow."

This sense of hope is key to the prince's mindset when it comes to tackling issues such as climate change, pollution and loss of natural habitat.

"Urgent optimism is the heartbeat of the Earthshot Prize," he says. "It's the belief that, although the challenges we face are immense, the solutions are within reach, and we must act with speed and conviction to bring them to life.

"It's not blind hope – it's hope backed by evidence, by ingenuity and by the courage of those who refuse to give up on our planet."

William launched his environmental prize with famed naturalist Sir David Attenborough in October 2020. The first awards ceremony took place at Alexandra Palace in London the following year, and William has since taken the event to cities like Boston and Cape Town.