Celebrities joined Prince William in London on Sunday for the inaugural awards ceremony of his Earthshot Prize, an ambitious environmental program that aims to find new ideas and technologies around the world to tackle climate change and Earth’s most pressing challenges.
The winners announced Sunday included the government of Costa Rica, which was honored for a project that pays local citizens to restore natural ecosystems, and the city of Milan, which was handed a prize for its Food Waste Hubs program, which recovers food from supermarkets and restaurants and distributes it to those in need.
Actors Emma Thompson, Emma Watson and David Oyelowo joined William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, in handing out the awards at Alexandra Palace in north London.
Guests were asked to “consider the environment when choosing their outfit,” and Watson arrived wearing a gown made from 10 wedding dresses from the charity Oxfam. Kate wore an Alexander McQueen dress made for her in 2011, while her husband wore a dark green velvet blazer and a polo neck.
![Yemi Alade, left, and Emma Thompson pose for photographers upon arrival at The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, in London, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (via AP Photo)]()
Yemi Alade, left, and Emma Thompson pose for photographers upon arrival at The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, in London, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (via AP Photo)
![Emma Watson poses for photographers at The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, London, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (via AP photo)]()
Emma Watson poses for photographers at The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, London, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (via AP photo)
![Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya Khan pose for photographers at The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, in London, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (via AP photo)]()
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya Khan pose for photographers at The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, in London, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (via AP photo)
![Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge attend the first ever Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday Oct. 17, 2021. Created by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, The Earthshot Prize has led an unprecedented global search for the most inspiring and innovative solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing the planet. (via AP photo)]()
Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge attend the first ever Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday Oct. 17, 2021. Created by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, The Earthshot Prize has led an unprecedented global search for the most inspiring and innovative solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing the planet. (via AP photo)
![Mohamed Salah poses for photographers upon arrival at The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, in London, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (via AP photo)]()
Mohamed Salah poses for photographers upon arrival at The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, in London, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (via AP photo)
![Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves attends the first ever Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday 17th October. Created by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, The Earthshot Prize has led an unprecedented global search for the most inspiring and innovative solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing the planet. (via AP photo)]()
Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves attends the first ever Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday 17th October. Created by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, The Earthshot Prize has led an unprecedented global search for the most inspiring and innovative solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing the planet. (via AP photo)
![Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge attend the first ever Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday Oct. 17, 2021. Created by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, The Earthshot Prize has led an unprecedented global search for the most inspiring and innovative solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing the planet. (via AP photo)]()
Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge attend the first ever Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday Oct. 17, 2021. Created by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, The Earthshot Prize has led an unprecedented global search for the most inspiring and innovative solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing the planet. (via AP photo)
William and his charity, The Royal Foundation, launched the Earthshot Prize last year, inspired by President John F Kennedy’s 1962 “Moonshot” speech that challenged and inspired Americans to go to the moon.
The prize, to be awarded to five winners every year until 2030, is billed as the most prestigious of its kind. Each winner will receive a grant worth 1 million pounds ($1.4 million) to develop and scale up their ideas.
