His royal accessory.
Prince William has revealed a sweet promise he made to his daughter Princess Charlotte after they attended Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour this summer.
William, 42, was at the 2024 Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday, when an eagle-eyed attendee noticed a bracelet he was wearing. The bling looked like a friendship bracelet, which millions of Taylor Swift fans made and shared during the singer’s Eras Tour concerts.
The prince described it as “a relic if you like from a Taylor Swift concert that my daughter [Princess Charlotte] decided that she wanted to create a bracelet for.”
The bracelet reads simply, “Papa.”
The Prince of Wales promised Charlotte, 9, he’d wear it on his trip to South Africa.
“She gave it to me when I came away, so I promised I’d wear it and try not to lose it,” he said.
William, Charlotte and Prince George, 11, attended the Eras Tour on Jun. 21 at London’s Wembley to celebrate the future king’s birthday.
Both William and Swift shared photos they took together backstage at the time.
“Thank you @taylorswift for a great evening! #LondonTSTheErastour,” the prince captioned a photo of Swift taking a selfie of him and his two children.
In her Instagram post, Swift wrote, “Happy Bday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start.”
The prince’s trip to South Africa centered on Wednesday’s Earthshot Prize Ceremony, the annual awards event for his Earthshot organization that aims to address environmental crises facing the planet.
Prince William opened the event and began his speech using phrases from nine African languages.
The prince explained that it was a sign of respect for a place that’s “always held a special place in my heart.”
William and his estranged brother, Prince Harry, spent time in Africa after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. The royal also proposed to his now-wife, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, on the continent in 2010. The Earthshot Prize itself was born after William visited Namibia and Tanzania in 2018.
“It was an idea that first came to me on African soil,” the prince said. “During a trip to Namibia and Tanzania, I was lucky enough to see some of the stunning wildlife that calls this continent home.”
“But what really struck me was the incredible impact local people were having on the environment around them,” he added. “Thanks to their ingenuity and creativity, biodiversity was returning, animals were being protected and jobs were being created.”
He continued, “I saw first-hand the extent to which people were dedicating their time, talent and vision to fixing environmental challenges, but they weren’t getting the support they needed to speed their solutions to scale or to have them replicated worldwide.”
“However, I believe our world can be rich in possibility, in hope and in optimism,” William went on. “That is why The Earthshot Prize exists. To champion the game-changers, the inventors, the makers, the creatives, the leaders. To help them build upon the amazing things they’ve already achieved. To speed their innovations to scale. And to inspire the next generation to create the future we all need.”
According to the Earthshot website, The Earthshot Prize aims to “regenerate the place we call home in the next ten years” and “searches the globe for game-changing innovations that will help us repair our planet, awarding the very best five solutions each year with £1 million to scale their work.”
After ceremonies in London, Boston and Singapore, the Earthshot Prize journeyed to Cape Town for its 2024 ceremony.
Hosted by Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Billy Porter and award-winning television presenter Bonang Matheba, this year’s event streamed live on YouTube and opened with a pre-recorded performance by Lebo M. of Circle of Life from “The Lion King” filmed at the top of Table Mountain.
Prior to the ceremony, celebrities and other guests walked the green carpet, which was hosted by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu and Moozlie.
The 2024 Earthshot ceremony placed particular emphasis on sustainable approaches to fashion. Guests were asked to rewear pieces from their wardrobe or choose clothes that spotlight African designers.
Heidi Klum, Winnie Harlow, Nina Dobrev, Shaun White and Robert Irwin were among the celebs in attendance.
On Tuesday, Prince William visited Table Mountain with Irwin, who also happens to be a global ambassador for the Earthshot Prize.
Taking a stroll along Signal Hill, a scenic overlook towering over Cape Town, William and the 20-year-old son of the late Steve Irwin were joined by the Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis. He joined them for the final part of their walk which drew attention to the need for biodiversity conservation.
Later that day, William went back into Cape Town and met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the leader’s official residence.
Kate Middleton, meanwhile, stayed behind in the UK with their three children — George, Charlotte and Louis, 6. The princess has only just been easing her way back into working after her battle with cancer earlier this year.
Speaking with Sky News on Wednesday, the prince gave an update on his wife’s health, saying she’s “doing really well.”
“She’s been amazing this whole year,” the royal added. “I know she will be really keen to see tonight be a success.”
