The Prince of Wales ended his solo visit to South Africa with a thoughtful gift for his wife, The Princess of Wales. As William wrapped up his time in the city, he made sure to pick up a special souvenir—a pair of earrings made from seaweed.
Chatting About seaweed
The Prince, 42, visited a coalition of innovative local seaweed businesses at Portside Tower, overlooking the picturesque city. Earthshot CEO Hannah Jones and Vincent Doumeizel, Founder of the Global Seaweed Coalition, greeted him and guided him around.
Sniffing Seaweed Soap And Tasting Seaweed Jelly
Dressed in a smart blue blazer from a London vintage store, William took the time to stop and speak with representatives from each company. He inquired about “seaweed jelly” at the Seaweed Café and sniffed soap made by Macroalgae & plant-based skincare brand, Mwani.
Catching Up With An Earthshot Partner
Pierre Paslier, co-founder of Notpla, a company that manufactures seaweed-based food packaging, reunited with the Prince. William told Pierre, “I was bigging you up last night,” and expressed how “proud” he was of their work.
Exploring The Seaweed Ecosystem
Other businesses William visited included Kelp Blue, which harvests cultivated kelp for use in agriculture, textiles, and pharmaceuticals, and Abagold, which produces seaweed to improve its sustainability. They also introduced him to Coast 4C, the finalist for Earthshot 2024.
Praising The “Fantastic” Work
Before departing, William told Vincent Doumeizel, “What you’re doing here is fantastic. I’m looking forward to your next book.” It was clear the Prince was deeply engaged and enthusiastic about the seaweed industry’s potential to address environmental challenges.
A Thoughtful Souvenir
As William wrapped up his time in Cape Town, he made sure to pick up a special souvenir for his wife, The Princess of Wales—a pair of earrings made from beach-cast kelp by the South African brand SeaTree Emporium.
Reunited With Familiar Faces
Special guests like model and TV presenter Heidi Klum, actor Billy Porter, and model Winnie Harlow joined the prince on his final day in South Africa during a visit to Kalk Bay. They enjoyed a traditional South African braai (barbecue) while discussing the Earthshot Prize.
Celebrating Environmental Solutions
The Earthshot Prize ceremony, which William attended earlier in the week, recognized five innovative projects working to address environmental issues like climate change, air pollution, and biodiversity loss. Each winner received £1 million to scale up their solutions.
Repairing The Planet, One Solution At A Time
As the event concluded, William reflected on the mission of the Earthshot Prize, saying, “Our aim was to find solutions to repair our planet and provide real hope for the future. We want this decade to change the world one solution at a time, from the ground up.”
With his thoughtful gift for Princess Kate and his genuine engagement with the seaweed industry, it’s clear that Prince William is committed to using his platform to support innovative environmental solutions and inspire others to join the cause.
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