Kensington Palace did a press briefing a few days before Christmas where they apparently teased some “big announcements” coming over the holidays. I kept waiting for the inevitable “they’re going to be so keen in 2020” story which would be the “big announcement.” Then I thought that their big announcements were simply releasing some old photos, like the shot of William and the kids, and those photos of the Duchess of Cambridge with midwives a few months ago, which just got released a few days ago. But look, the Cambridges did have something NEW to announce. They’re partnering – ?? – with Sir David Attenborough to launch the Earthshot Prize, which will apparently give people millions of dollars/pounds/Euros for coming up with solutions for environmental problems.
Who is ready to lead as we make the 2020s a decade of action to repair our planet?
Introducing the @EarthshotPrize 🌍 pic.twitter.com/sYT5xBQ1Zo
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 31, 2019
This is being described as a Prince William-specific thing, at least on Kensington Palace’s Twitter:
Prince William has teamed up with Sir David Attenborough to launch @EarthshotPrize — the Nobel Peace Prize of environmental world. Over the next decade millions will be awarded to five winners per year with solutions to the world’s greatest problems.
“The earth is at a tipping point and we face a stark choice: either we continue as we are and irreparably damage our planet or we remember our unique power as human beings and our continual ability to lead, innovate and problem-solve.” — The Duke of Cambridge
“People can achieve great things. The next ten years present us with one of our greatest tests – a decade of action to repair the Earth.” — The Duke of Cambridge @EarthshotPrize
I… actually thought that this kind of thing already existed? There are some big “prizes” or grants given to people working on big solutions for complicated scientific issues? But of course, Prince William can just drop by and announce that THIS thing is “the Nobel Peace Prize of the environmental world.” Keen branding, Wills. Basically, this sounds like the typical billionaire solution to most thinks: “I’ll keep flying on private jets/helicopters but I’ll just throw money at the problem and hope other people come up with solutions.” The structure of this does not sound innovative, that’s all I’m saying.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
I actually appreciate this effort. I know our “leaders” here in the US are actively working towards the opposite, so seeing anyone in power step up and say that the destruction needs to stop and they’ll support people making a difference…I can get behind that.
I agree. The more people working for the environment the better.
Same here, its something at least which is better than nothing. Well done PW.
Better than nothing with the amount of resources and money wasted on him is setting the bar so ridiculously low.
Any spotlight on the environment is a good thing.
Actually China is currently building coal plants that will create more emissions than all of Europe. So Will better talk to them, but he does not have the cojones.
@Jilly, do you really want to do this? China has a much lower carbon footprint per individual than most nations in the west. Most people in China live far more sustainable lives with lower waste outputs than people in countries like Britain and America do. Britain, America and other nations outsource their garbage to southeast Asia for disposal. They fight wars for possession of oil and natural resources, invade and destroy nations. American companies pollute water resources in the global south. Western culture is much more focused on rampant, mindless materialism, and that is the motivation behind why the planet is dying. Fix your own back yard first.
China is number one on carbon emissions and the US is number two. I don’t think this is about attacking the individual Chinese people but the government which controls all. The US also needs to fix its pollution problem, and I doubt William will be talking to either government any time soon.
@Nic919, the relative population sizes of both countries matters too. For its population, the US consumes FAR more resources and outputs FAR more waste than China. It’s wholly disproportionate and indefensible. The same applies for a number of other Western/developed/whatever nations. Poorer countries worldwide are scrambling desperately to put in place policies to mitigate the effects of climate change, and in spite of that, millions of people in those places are going to die, all too feed the desperate materialism of a small segment of the world population. There is no reason for America, given its size and its infrastructure, should be number 2 in carbon emissions in the world. Absolutely none. At least not if we’re intent on holding countries around the world accountable in an equitable manner. And bringing up Chinese coal plants is not that.
The point about China is that it produces cheap goods for America, Western Europe and the rest of the world and so we need to radically change our consumption patterns.
Yes, l also think that this is a good initiative. It will be interesting to see if the Sussexes are involved in some of it, as hinted.
“The Nobel Peace Prize of environmentalism” LMAO KP is desperate
The scientific consensus is that massive innovation will be needed to mitigate the damage from climate change. There is no entity that recognizes or rewards environmental innovation. This is a huge deal and William deserves credit for it.
That’s fine but when Harry also tries to do something for the environment, Travelyst, the British media, with collusion from William and KP, tried to sabotage it.
He sure does. But he also deserves credit for staging a budget flight photo op that resulted in two empty plane flights with 4.5 tons of carbon emissions.
It’s only a “huge deal” because of the names attached to this announcement. And what exactly does William deserve credit for? Is he going to be heavily involved in this process at multiple levels? Or is he going to do what he always does: show up in an expensive suit, make some grand statements, and disappear? Until I see something different from him, I don’t see why anyone should praise him.
Here are more than a few environmental prizes:
https://www.european-environment-foundation.eu/en-en/awards/environmental-awards
The Stockholm Water Foundation gives a six-figure award every year. Somebody’s gotta pick up the Noble Foundation’s slack, right?
You don’t have to like William to recognize the potential of an international prize for environmental innovation. It brings together scientists from many disciplines and encourages investment to scale winning ideas. We have ten years to prevent the worst effects of climate change and innovation is essential to that process. Since William is not a scientist, his job is to recruit the scientists who will evaluate entries and determine the winners. They need to be the best and the brightest so having a major brand, the BRF, connected to the prize is essential.
The United Nations has several prizes already that act in this manner and they give seed funding.
I would trust them over William’s Royal Foundation which is said by auditors to not even be run correctly. And that’s if the Royal Foundation is even involved and this isn’t just another podium for William to give speeches at and then bounce.
Climate change isn’t a zero sum game. Especially since most of the UN awards have no prize money attached to them. The investments the UN makes are in small to mid-sized enterprises. We also need solutions on the global scale.
Without knowing how much money is going to be doled out to prize winners in this case (doesn’t look like it’s been hammered out) you can’t really say this is better or worse than the prizes that do exist that do give funding.
Of course it’s not a zero sum game. But you stated there are no entities that reward or recognize environmental innovation which is simply incorrect.
As for solutions on the global scale – others have given you international examples of other prizes.
And that we need population control through something like child limits, but no one likes to hear that. Until I joined the field I didn’t realize how hideously underfunded conservation is though so this is really nice.
There are many environmental prizes, but they reward certain types of science, economics, research, and activism. This prize is intended to be multidisciplinary in a way that looks beyond traditional criteria. David Attenborough has won numerous nature and environmental prizes and I have confidence in his ability to develop something unique.
The problem here is that this isn’t a “coming together”, it is an “I want to put my name on it”. People do this all the time: they make a little money and they want to do some good. BUT, they want a little credit…
So instead of a truly significant change driver you have foundations spreading money here and there. It’s every NPO’s CEO’s biggest SMH.
The truth is that most of the DoC’s initiatives align with the work that The Prince’s Trust has been doing so well for so long now. And, if they stepped in with/for Charles they’d bring new donors to the table without alienating long time supporters. But like I say, this happens with donors/foundations – all the time. The bane of my existence…
As far as I can research– the UN Young Champions of the Earth provides funding and is multidisciplinary. The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement is multidisciplinary. The Golden Environmental Prize (which is actually referred to in some circles at the environmental Nobel) is multidisciplinary, grassroots, and awards six figure funding.
I hope this new prize will be useful, but asserting it is a unique thing appears, based on my research, to be incorrect.
@Maria – The prize for UN Young Champions is limited to people 18-30, the Tyler Prize is for scientific research and public leadership, and I assume you are referring to the Goldman prize, which is awarded to activists. None of these restrictions have been placed on the Earth Shot prize.
There are many entitles that recognize environmental innovation.
@Mac.
“It brings together scientists from many disciplines and encourages investment to scale winning ideas.”
That’s so similar to Kate and her Broken Britain/Early Years group.
-I thought the point was the prize money? How much is it?
It really is excellent branding. I think on the whole it is a good idea that could have a positive effect but so much is dependant on how it is done- not just in terms of prize money but in terms of structure.
I work in the nonprofit space, and I have experience working on challenges such as this. The reason challenges are typically launched and supported by government or well-equipped foundations is that they are hard to make effective without a ton of infrastructure and support.
I will reserve too much judgement on this thing until details are released but I doubt Workshy Wills really gets the scale of committing to something like this effort. I am really interested in seeing who will run this and how many resources they will invest in staffing it. Much of the value of challenges isn’t generated at the top but the other hundred ideas submitted. So I guess we will see.
Urghhhhh…. the desperation and constant one-up-manship is EXHAUSTING….
The Queen’s speech makes sense now…..
If the Cambs announce baby number four, they’re getting dragged to filth
This seems like a good thing – I’m
Not going to criticize William for using his position to help the environment – but I’m with Kaiser, don’t things like this already exist? It doesn’t make it a bad thing, it just makes it…..not that earth shattering?
But hey, good for William for coming up with something.
There is the Goldman prize, which is sometimes called the Green Noble but it has a prize of $200,000. And there is a UN award with no monetary prize. It doesn’t seem like there is anything on this scale with prize money.
I just re-read the announcement and realized the prize amount is vague, in says millions over the next decade, so it could be on par with teh Goldman but with Royal sponsorship.
The Goldman prize is for activists, not scientific work.
Comparing it to the Nobel Prize is a bit much but I guess if it does end up helping the environment it’s not a bad thing. But as with everything KP does, I’m going to need to see more about it because so far details are vague.
Its a good idea but comparing itself to the Nobel Peace Prize BEFORE its proved itself is arrogant and very typical William – he’s all about willy waving (and yes its what you think it is – google those photo’s of him urinating in front of paps. Based on those I hope for Waity’s sake he’s a grower).
More grandstanding by this dullard. He probably thinks this “Nobel Peace Prize of the environmental world” is special because HE is a part of it.
Off topic but what happened to William.
I came across old videos of him and he used to be so passionate.
Now he’s so dried up and dull.
Pricks from the Rose bush incident must’ve bled him dry 😏
He’s inner ugly self is coming out!
Actually that wasn’t very nice so I take that back!
I will no longer let certain types of people lower my frequency.
I think its many things but primarily because his life didn’t turn out as he thought it would. He has always struck me as someone who had it all at his finger tips but was too lazy and entitled to take it. And to top it off he married someone who was just the same.
Megan did not write the cookbook, she wrote the introduction to it.
She didn’t obviously write it but she spearheaded the project and made it happen. Who knows, maybe she was there helping to test recipes and deciding eat made the final cut. She was very much involved in it. It’s not groundbreaking or earth shattering but it showed her approach to being involved in her charities and patronages, and working with the organizations to benefit them in ways that reflects their goals and ethos.
It was her idea and her initiative that got it off the ground.
I did some quick looking and found a few other environmental prizes, including a UN one, but not one with a huge financial inventive attached (But it was a two minute search). I am also supportive of any imitative that talks about the environment and climate change because it is such a huge issue.
I’ve been waiting for him to be branded a hypocrite or eco warrior by the British media but so far, nothing.
Watching Harry and Meghan coming up with innovative initiatives, being slaughtered by the British press only for The Doolittles to come up with mediocre copies and be praised to high heaven by the same media, is becoming exhausting.
Yes it is very exhausting.
Agreed. It’s so annoying how we won’t hear a peep from the same people who dragged the Sussexes up and down the block for weeks for flying private. It’s really infuriating to me. The Sussexes (Meghan especially) come out with finished projects with clearly measurable impact and get dragged and harassed and the Cambs make announcement after announcement about future projects and get praised to the sky 🙄 or not a peep when they don’t keep their word like Kate and her 2019 Broken Britain project…
The initiative is great, sure, although it appears to just be him finding a way to go to an annual award show and take credit for any work or actual initiatives that scientists come up with. Let’s see how involved he is over the next decade…
I get that there is a lot of love for Meghan on this site, but let’s be real, she isn’t reinventing the wheel. She created a cookbook, designed a pop up shop, and edited Vogue. All very cool things that certainly helped with charities that she cares about, but also not an earth shattering innovative initiatives. It’s not like any of them were holding AIDS patients hands when the world was terrified of AIDS like Diana, that was radical.
Who’s asking them to reinvent the wheel?! But I also don’t think we need to downplay Meghan’s initiatives that all had measurable impact. Didn’t the cookbook raise more than £500,000 profit and the SmartSet collection provide a year’s worth of clothes? Why do you have to act like those things aren’t important? Are they less important than smiling and cutting a ribbon? Where is the long term impact there?
We’re you also making these comments on Kate’s multiple dragged out showings of her garden project? Or are you just coming for Meghan?
Wow, way to minimize.
That cookbook happened to bring in enough revenue for the community so that the Hubb Kitchen could be completely renovated and open for seven days a week as opposed to two – and frankly I don’t see any other support for the Grenfell victims from the royal family, do you?
Her “pop up shop” equipped Smart Works with enough professional clothes to help underprivileged women enter the workforce for a year.
Her Vogue issue helped Luminary Bakery open a second location to help train, employ, and support homeless or abused women.
These are impressive for a year and a half of being royal with part of that maternity leave.
Diana didn’t start those initiatives and visits until several years after she married.
@flamingo
I actually agree with you – even though I can already see you getting unnecessarily dragged in some responses. I don’t think you are minimising Meghan’s work or impact at all, just saying that the initiatives weren’t innovative or groundbreaking in and of themselves as it was claimed they were in the comment above – they are all initiatives that have been done before – e.g. cookbooks or capsule collections (Dress for Success is a charity I have donated work clothes to for years).
The fact that Meghan has done these so quickly after getting married, whilst pregnant or on maternity leave, and genuinely seems to CARE is what is impressive.
Well Meghan did something worthwhile within a year of marriage, and did not take time off to “adjust to royal life”. As long as the charities benefits it is “earth shattering”.
There are many pro Kate sites that will do the same for her. Maybe you should visit those sites, because it seems that you people are twisting yourselves tighter than a pretzel, whenever Meghan receives positive reviews on CB.
Go and tell the women of The Hubb Community KItchen, who have now set up their own businesses or Smartworks, that now have enough Smartset clothes to last them a year that what Meghan did wasn’t innovative especially in regards to how the Royals interact with their charities.
@gingerbee
Nobody is twisting themselves into anything. I clearly complimented Meghan in my post in a very, very similar way to you – by pointing out how impressive it is that she’s done all this so quickly – but please by all means carry on being unnecessarily defensive and borderline rude.
@ Flamingo
Also, the fact that Meghan’s initiatives have had clear, measurable and immediate impact on real people’s lives impressed me, tbh. The fact that she’s able to keep people super engaged on her initiatives (because they’re executed in rather “sexy” ways 😎) means the charities gain even better name recognition and generally perform better.
And she’s only just starting out. I can’t wait to see what she has for us in 2020.
Yes people in history have done cookbooks and capsule wardrobes before but royals haven’t. What had been done for the Grenfell victims until the cookbook by close neighbours Will and Kate… a visit by Will, Kate hadn’t even bothered yet. Meghan assisted with something that brought concrete results for the victims and enhanced something the residents had already been doing. And the smart set collection wasn’t a new idea, but it had not been done by a Royal before to raise money for a patronage and Meghan got criticized for merching precisely because it was something never done by a royal before.
So we go from criticizing Meghan for doing something different, but now it’s not different, it’s been done so no credit for it at all. That’s the unfair standard being applied here.
Thoughts and prayers, @Flamingo. I think this attempt by William is pretty pathetic given his complete lack of credibility on the topic. And I think Meghan’s efforts to better people’s lives so quickly after marrying into this family of lazy dullards is remarkable. But here, that is not enough.
There was a comment above about the Cambridges “one-upping” the Sussexes that actually made me laugh. One up what? The Sussexes have been on break for six months!
@flamingo I totally agree. But you can’t “be real” here when it comes to Meghan or you’ll be asked to go to a pro Kate site 😂 did you not read the small print? I think I missed it too.
@Flamingo and @Suzy Webster ——- how many in the RF visited those who suffered from the fire? how many did anything about it? that’s the difference!
No Project of W or his wife, in their entire life, is even close to the impact that the cookbook had. Those women have taken that and became so much more than even what, I am sure, Meghan envisioned…….all the power to them! sometimes, in life, some people just need one person to care!
I have said before that hypocrites are the worst types of people on earth, I would take a liar over a hypocrite but those who diminish other people work while themselves doing absolutely nothing, should be viewed in a special light!
No woman marrying in the RF after Diana left that family have had the type of impact Meghan. Yes, others have worked on cookbooks or capsule collection but how many in the RF did what she did? Only Prince Charles and Harry come to mind.
I will end by saying the following: W & K can be compared to Donald and his wife, not the character of course but the way the press regards mediocrity especially when from lily white vs H & M who are more akin to the way B & M were treated!
Happy New Year’s Eve
I agree with you, Flamingo, and I am a Meghan stan. I think there are many things we can criticize William for with this, but “there are other prizes” and saying it isn’t innovative doesn’t need to be one of them. Now, has he actually thought about the follow through to implement these ideas, he’s not actually doing anything, etc., are legit criticisms.
Things don’t have to be 100% original to be impactful–the work Meghan has done are excellent examples of this. Now, let’s see if he actually DOES anything with this idea.
I think the way Meghan operates is innovative for the BRF. This thing Will is doing seems like all his other things: it’s a bureaucracy style initiative that relies on lots of other people doing the actual work while he just puts his name on it. A lot of the Cambridge initiatives are like that. They’re either think tanks, or umbrella groups, or “studies.” Whereas Meghan is doing very hands-on projects: she is finds a simple solution for a problem, works on it very hard herself, works on it until it’s done, and there is an immediate and tangible result. That’s what’s innovative and inspiring. She is actually doing a lot of the day-to-day work and project-management herself. Her projects show immediate results. She’s not just using her position in the BRF to recruit a team of experts in whatever field to study a problem and brainstorm ideas while her only contribution is to come up with a name and be the face of the initiative at their annual charity galas.
So when we were hearing that the Cambridges were going to make an announcement about a new project to do with the environment, I was hoping it would be something that would require Will and Kate to actually do work themselves on it until the project was complete. But of course it’s just another broad initiative where the work will be done by other people and the Cambridge connection is kind of vague. Will they do anything besides lend their name? It’s not a bad thing or a bad project, but it just seems like another way for the Cambridges to be lauded for having a big impact on something without actually doing any of the work themselves.
Man, GMFB, what exactly has Kate Middleton done with her position after 9 years of marriage? What exactly has William Cambridge done with his role all 37 years of his life? Harry was just 17 when he founded Sentebale. It was not ground breaking, foundations like Sentebale had been founded years before prince Harry, but can you even crap on what Sentebale has achieved in Central and Southern Africa? Show us what Kate Middleton has done even one non ground breaking initiative like a cookbook. When prince Harry created the Invictus Games, didn’t he get the idea from the US? Prince Charles was only 26 when he created the Princes Trust and the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation, Harry was the same age when he created the Invictus Games, Walking With The Wounded etc. What exactly has William and Kate Cambridge done, even something non ground breaking, all their royal lives for their stans to be crapping on everything Meghan has done? At least Meghan has done SOMETHING non ground breaking, sheesh!!
Well said, @BabsORIG. I see gremlin-like efforts at play here to downplay the DDoS’ work, and appreciate you setting the record straight. I’ll be bookmarking this thread for posterity.
You forgot to mention SmartWorks which was amazing in terms of what Meghan did to breathe new life into it.
Well, it’s not about what is ground breaking and what isn’t. None of this is reinventing the wheel.
What many of us are rolling our eyes at is the hype around this, yet again. We got word there would be a big announcement. Hours before the prize was officially announced, KP teased about it again. And then KP is presenting it like “the next Nobel prize”.
Like I said above, this isn’t a bad thing. But when KP acts like this is the greatest thing in a generation, it’s going to generate some eye rolls.
There’s the obvious media bias against Meghan and Harry, but I think that while Will is shielded from a ton of criticism as an heir in waiting, he/KP actually framed this award in a way that’ll provide some additional coverage from charges of hypocrisy.
This isn’t a “do as I say, not as I do” type thing (Though he’s certainly been guilty of that many times!!) that makes people feel like they’re being condemned for going about their lives, but a program that recognizes and rewards the work experts are doing. Put another way, it’s a challenge for innovation vs prescribing hard and fast change from a place of not being an expert–though we’ll see what the response is like after the first batch of winners are chosen. I actually think Travelyst will ultimately have a similar feeling (helping people make more sustainable choices vs condemning them for not), but somewhat suffered under the vague outline of what it intends to do going forward.
Another problem with the Travelyst launch was the timing. It was very questionable to launch a program about sustainable tourism right after being snapped using multiple private jets for holidays. And yes, there are many other comparable hypocritical situations from the Cambridges, or you could argue that the courtiers or whoever tipped off the press/paps about it did it out of spite, but it was still Harry’s choice to fly private knowing the launch was right around the corner. The launch ALSO happened after the super yachts and celebrities at Camp Google, an event that got dragged to hell and back by the more conservative British press as being peak Eco Hypocrisy, and Harry, unfortunately, was also part of that event/conversation.
That’s not to say that the press didn’t absolutely beat the Sussex Hypocrites!! narrative to death in an unfair way considering the actions/choices of rest of the family (they did), just that I think there were additional factors at play.
The caution tape image…Rosa Parks…the white geek engineers at 1960s NASA… the whole thing is just pedestrian do-gooder-ness.
BRF paying for any of this or is it sponsored? That’s probably a stupid question.
I’m in favor of a participation trophy for Wills though.
BRF paying for any of this…
Not a chance.
They haven’t finalised where the funding is coming from.
Which presumably means it isn’t coming from BP.
I think this is really smart for a future monarch. Just like how Queen mentioned the environment in her Christmas speech- showing a light touch care about a ‘progressive issue’ without upsetting the right wing
1) he gets to champion a ‘progressive’ cause that I think from Prince Philip, Charles, he may really care for but won’t be accused of preaching as others will do the work 2) working with a beloved uk figure David Attenborough so like Mary Berry with the Christmas special works well with the base 3) it will be an awards show so opportunities for Yearly dress up which is only thing most royal/neutral observers care for with royals 4) chance for legacy like Duke of Edinburgh award.
All of this.
If this initiative results in concrete, impactful solutions, it will be quite a legacy.
*If*
@ROGUE PW should not have to work with David Attenborough. That’s a shortcoming, not an advantage. He needs someone famous to bring credibility? That’s not a good sign for the future king. Both PC and PH, even previously PA, could bring donors and sponsors. The fact that DA is needed to sell this to me shows his lack of a presence.
I’m just glad he’s doing something. I’ll reserve full judgement until more details come out.
Ehh. Glad he is doing something.
Not talking about you specifically, just the general narrative around these two couples, but I love how the bar is set so low for the future king and queen consort! An announcement about a future project is hailed as groundbreaking even though it may or may not come to fruition, months of the same garden show is somehow revolutionary etc. Everything the Cambs do is “stop complaining, be glad they’re doing something!”
But the insignificant Sussexes get dragged to hell and back anytime they do anything or even open their mouths.
It’s true. It makes their small work numbers seem bigger until you see the actual numbers. Because they announce an announcement is coming, then they make the announcement, then they actually do the event, and then they recap it.
@Royalwatcher —- I agree with you but to some extend I also agree with Lisa. I hope with this, he won’t feel the need to throw his brother under the bus
This is most likely going to be his Invictus Games or Sentebale or Prince’s trust…….as Lisa said, at least he is doing SOMETHING, anything at this point is something for him……….mediocrity prevails but if we no longer have FlyBe stunt, I will take it; wouldn’t you?
ROYALWATCHER … I agree with everything you said. Will had to run his brother and his new wife out of the country because he was being put to shame by their work ethic. Meghan worked. She cared and worked and got slaughtered BY HER HUSBAND’S FAMILY for it. Will is pathetic.
VS – yes it’s great he’s actually doing something (although exactly what and how much seems still TBD)…however I don’t expect that he and Kate will stop stabbing the Sussexes in the back and talking out of both sides of their mouths. Did you read Kate’s letter to midwives? She includes a bit about how important maternal health is and how women need care and support during their pregnancy and yet not a peep or hint of support for her own sister-in-law when Meghan was pregnant. This – and the FlyBe stunt – shows me the Cambs don’t really care about the initiatives they lend their name to or they would walk the walk instead of just talking the talk, and wanting as much fawning press as possible while doing the least amount of work.
How awesome would it have been for Kate to come out with a statement talking about pregnancy health while Meghan was actually pregnant?! Not even mentioning her but it could have been a great lead up to the midwives shadowing/letter and would have given a hint that Meghan had family support and should be left alone. It just makes it more and more clear the Cambs are complicit with the trashing of the Sussexes.
I guess I’m just tired of giving them the benefit of the doubt when they’ve shown who they really are time and time again 🤷🏽♀️
Jen and Pineapple, agreed!!!
@Royalwatcher —- I get your point; I didn’t read Kate’s letter because as far as I am concerned, she is not doing anything that matters or that will ever matter. She is no different from melania trump and her #BeBest campaign
On my end, I see how some downplay Meghan’s work and I get that Kate’s approach of ‘doing nothing but smiling’ is much more appreciated than a woman who speaks her mind and who obviously is so much smarter than all of them; I understand that a woman like Meghan is scary to some even though she shouldn’t be……I just hope with this, W will have enough spotlight not to feel the need to attack H&M
Happy New Year!
While Will has an in with the tabloids and won’t get dragged to hell and back for being a hypocrite (or breathing), I wonder if Harry can lean more into military and put conservation on the back burner for a little while. Not saying give up, but maybe switch gears for a minute.
Honest question: what happened to Harry’s Travelist environmental travel initiative? Seemed a good idea but haven’t heard any more about it. Feel like William is trying to take over the environmental crusade
Visa just made some announcement about the partnership so I think things are still in the works.
The travel initiative is still chugging along and has corporate sponsors. I’m sure they’ll do more with it this year. I think it is good to have William have something big to lean on. You know, devil… idle hands, so this is real work. Well, he’ll be giving out prizes at awards ceremonies, and vetting the nominees, so assume that involves some actual ground work and travel to see what’s out there. Of course, let’s see what he does with it. This whole Christmas period was a bit weird in terms of the Cambridge press. They got the fawning spotlight they so feel is rightfully theirs, but it feels off, slightly frantic, and there didn’t seem to be the press satisfaction I expected from the royalist. Hmmm, onwards to 2020.
This is a good question. I think one problem with Travelyst is no one knows how to use it. Is it like Air BNB where you book on the website? Or like TripAdvisor? It appears to have partners on board but it’s not clear how it’s utilized by us.
Is he actually going to do anything with this or just make speeches surrounding it?
Seems like a great lead in to get someone else to do the bulk of the work honestly.
Exactly this. How much is William actually doing? I’m curious too.
But isn’t that what they do?
That’s what they do when they support other people’s programs/projects. In those cases, their role is simply to lend their name and image to help attract donors. That’s all.
This is William’s own baby. He will need to put in the work and lead his own team. His leadership, hard work and commitment will determine the outcome. There’s no way around it. Executing a project is hard work. And we all know that Wilnot has severe allergies to even light work. The only thing Cain is passionate about and really good at is PR Voodoo.
This “big” project is either a PR ploy to occupy the environmental stage Harry is currently not occupying due to the Sussexes’ PR blunder Cain had quickly seized upon to deliver a major blow with the airline stunt, or the dumwit thinks all he has to do is lend his name to his own project and those experts will lead his own ship for him and hired help will do the work. Didn’t William say in the Dutchy documentary that his father works too hard? Well, sure, William intends to add even more on his plate. Why don’t we all give William the benefit of the doubt. Eye roll.
Fabuleuse – I think you misinterpreted my comment. I wholeheartedly agree with what Maria was saying. Simply put, W&K have a history of “announcing” things and “planning” things and then essentially off-loading the actual work to others and then taking credit. Contrast that with Meghan – well-established work ethic and history of rolling up her sleeves and getting things done.
@Carmem — Oh, I see. I did misinterpreted your comment. I thought you meant that that’s the job description of royals.
That’s what a lot of royal initiatives are though? They partner with people and promote the work. Meghan didn’t write the Grenfell cookbook recipes or design and manufacture the capsule clothes, but they were still great initiatives for her.
As far as I know, this is how those projects worked out:
Smart Works — Meghan conceived of the capsule collection herself, pitched it and worked it out with executives, cold called brands to discuss how they wanted to be involved and how they could work with their manufacturers to produce the pieces, and helped oversee the production.
Hubb — she visited the Al Manaar Muslim Heritage center and saw the Hubb kitchen was serving Grenfell survivors and their familes but was only open two days a week, she wanted the kitchen to be open seven days a week so she spoke with the woman to collate recipes after visiting and cooking with them several times and wrote the foreword.
She cold called one of her best friends?
Honestly. This is exhausting.
The earth is dying and any initiative that’s brought to trying to save it is worthwhile. We’re running out of time.
Seriously, the best you can contribute is point out she happened to be friends with the heads of one of the brands? Why wouldn’t she ask her, anyway? Come on. That wasn’t the only person she called.
The Earth IS dying, and awards are not what we need.
@Maria, agree . It’s obvious the pseudo-Keen fans and megx*ters have been triggered since the Christmas card photo was released. The lack of actual news and public appearances by the Sussexes since last month has worsened their disposition, so some are lashing out in any way they can without getting their comments deleted for being trolls.
They were Meghan’s ideas, she breathed new life into these projects, and she seems like someone who likes being directly involved and hands on, so l expect a lot of direction came from her.
@Guest…….l beg to differ. It was very difficult to find complete outfits suitable for the women from the various donated items. SmartWorks periodically sells off lots of the unused donated items to raise funds, l know because my daughter is involved.
We know Will has been instrumental in creating the initiative, for a start. He’s been involved in fundraising. Those two things alone are important.
He creates initiatives and fundraising for the Royal Foundation too and there’s plenty of shady optics there.
I will wait and see, regarding this one.
He will do nothing around it, but take credit as usual. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I think this is great! I don’t understand why anyone would slam or attack William for doing something to help the environment. I mean he has a huge platform- and he is using it to get people to care about the environment. I liked the video and linking it to the moonshot because like landing on the moon fixing the environment seems impossible but we landed on the moon and that changed the world so we can fix the environment too.
I will support anyone and anything that tries to get this fixed! So go William and anyone who wins!
I am slamming him because he was complicit, along with the British media, in trying to sabotage Harry’s environment initiative Travelyst, when he revealed it earlier this year
How on Earth did anyone sabotage Harry’ Travelyst?? What is it anyway?? As far as I can see, it’s nothing innovative. Sustainable tourism isn’t new – far from it. shame on you for not being eco friendly when you go on vacation I guess. Did someone actually FORCE Harry to take multiple PJ trips back to back?? 🤔
You must be new in these parts . There is quite literally nothing we won’t slam William for around here.
Positive, meaningful initiatives by the disfavored couple must be demeaned in every way possible.
Context matters.
@Shi —– please what is meaningful about it? you don’t know yet what is it that he is specifically going to do; unless you have some inside info…….if so, please do share so that we can see the meaningful work!
I have noticed something about Royal watchers which explains why the Cambridges have been able to do what they have for years:
1) they actually don’t care about the work the royal do; they like Tiaras, state dinners much better
2) they also don’t care about impact; they like royal births so much more
3) It is enough to just announce you are going to do something; doesn’t matter if it gets done or not; you announced it! does anyone remember broken Britain or how Kate was learning about Textiles?
I guess at the end, they got the monarchy they deserve!
people love to wallow in negativity…
So he won the Nobel prize on an endeavor he just announced? Cool. I announce my Nobel prize rocket to Mars that I just thought up lying on my bed this minute. Win! I’m amazing! Dude should actually do some sustained work and let the work speak for itself. He speaks for the work he actually hasn’t done yet to upstage his brother. Pathetic. And a little faked humility would help, too. I just can’t with him.
My immediate thought was Greta turning down the Nordic Council award, saying there are enough awards in the world but what we need is meaningful political action. This just feels flashy without substance. I don’t know…no cookies to give in this one right now.
This.
+1
Greta is a 16 year old child. She is an authority on nothing. Looking to her for guidance is dangerous.
Like it or not, she and others like her are our future, and I would hardly consider her work “dangerous”.
When was the last time you sailed the Atlantic to attend the UN Climate Summit?
The same could be said about William. He doesn’t have any expertise to speak on issues of the environment and in fact has a larger carbon footprint than 80% of individuals on this earth.
Greta has a platform and walks the walk. William also has a platform because of the family he was born into and so if you criticize her then you have to criticize him.
If the 16 year old is willing to lead on this, while the rest of us (society), collectively keep behaving like petulant, 2 year old ostriches, then I’m very happy to follow the 16 year olds lead.
I’m an ostrich who didn’t give 2 shits about the environment until I saw her interview with Trevor Noah. I found it incredibly enlightening and now at least, I’m starting to educate myself on the subject.
She’s making a huge difference and deserves praise and support for her efforts, not derision.
Greta is not a child – she will be 17 in a few days.
Wow, what an incredibly disrespectful trash take. The only things negative around that young woman are the toxic adults who need therapy.
Greta herself repeatedly asks us not to look to her as an authority, but to be spurred by her to action. She is a beacon for a call to action for each of us to educate ourselves, make changes, and demand politicians and corporations take responsibility for the environmental degradation their practices allow. This, in itself, is not dangerous. Far from it. Ignorance and inaction on the climate crisis is.
Please, everyone, examine your lifestyle, make whatever individual changes you can given your current abilities and circumstances, AND make contacting actual authorities with your concerns part of your 2020 resolutions.
@sarah Well said. I hadn’t quite looked at it that way – it’s easy to recognize there is a problem but take no responsibility for it. I will take your suggestions to heart.
Greta isn’t pretending to be an authority! Any ordinary person can see there’s a massive issue, and she’s joining in and taking the initiative in advocacy. I am so SICK of her being attacked and dragged around the media and especially the right wing idiocracy. She’s frankly doing what all of us should be doing.
The logic of some is amazing……
1) Greta is 16 going into 17 but she is a CHILD
2) Trayvon Martin when he was shot but HE WAS A MAN
3) Virginia Roberts was already a woman at 17
Isn’t it amazing? that’s how the mind of hypocrites usually works! the definition of child to adult usually changes very quickly depending on the situation
If you want to dismiss Greta, feel free to watch An Inconvenient Truth. Or consult the thousands of scientists whose work independently verifies the environmental damage, in peer-reviewed journals.
@Ikaye: It is the very act of a 16 year-old on the autism scale who has the balls to stand up in front of the world and take on the mantle of environmental warrior that galvanizes people. She has no fear, she dragged Trump in the most amazing manner, she has the poise and strength of character to meet with world leaders and be willing to put herself on the front lines to shine a light on the fact that the world is dying.
Millions of animals have perished in the Australia fires. Koalas are going extinct. Tens of thousands of people have lost their homes, their possessions, whole towns have been incinerated. California will be a continuing powder keg and people are leaving the state in droves. But all the Neros can do is fiddle while Rome burns.
THIS is why we need more Gretas. The young people today are going to inherit a hellish mess that was none of their doing – and you diss her. What are you doing to help the planet?
@VS, Great framing. Picture the Andy apologists if ‘just a child’ Greta was being discussed rather than Roberts. And for those who say ‘but Greta has mental health issues’, the Epstein victims had troubles as well – that is why they were chosen as targets.
If I can add to what Sarah said about examining your lifestyle and what you can do to improve the planet, may I suggest growing something. A flower in a pot on a windowsill, a tomato plant in a bucket by the front door, a few herbs on your balcony. If you are among those lucky enough to own property please plant a flower bush or a tree, preferably a fruit/nut tree to help feed people, animals and insects. There are community gardens or maybe start one, take a walk by a river or stream and drop some sunflower seeds along the banks, they feed a lot of the planet’s populations or toss some apple or flower seeds in a green looking ditch. Every thing that grows makes a difference and contributes to cleaner air for all of us.
+ 1
It is typical of William and Kate. A grasp at good PR with no substance or work on their part.
This is what I’ve come to expect from William. A grand sounding initiative and will require little to no work by him and taps into a wildly popular cause. Being the heir he doesn’t have to worry about any perceived hypocrisy as the press will protect him and throw his brother and sister in law under the bus instead.
This x a million!!
Exactly. The hypocrisy and bad faith of this makes me so angry.
Yes! I don’t even fully understand how William is linked to this project besides being one of the people who is launching it. What is his role in this initiative going forward? What work will he be doing day to day to make this successful? What was his contribution to shaping this project and bringing it to fruition and could it have been successful without him? Because right now, it seems like it could be successful without him. If he never did another thing with this project, it would be fine.
This is consistent for the Cambridges. They throw a party or give an award to celebrate someone else’s work. When they tour another country, they try to make picture friendly to.make the whole thing fun and inviting. They lean into the royal cosplay aspect. And they partner up with other people who do the actual work for the projects, people who are icons like Mary Berry and Davie Attenborough. It’s very image over substance.
It’s very effective for their public image and it’s perfect for William who lives off the results of the efforts of other people whether it’s the Queen, Charles, Harry or even Kate.
I’m curious about what consistent funding David Attenborough has set up for this because let’s be real, William will let this fail if he has to do it.
I second your statement about the funding. After reading how meticulously the funds for the Sussex projects were earmarked before the Sussexes split and overall financial dodginess of the Royal Foundation, I am curious as to how this will play out.
Links please
Agreed, Maria. When the VF (?) piece made the point that the Hubb money was being protected from the existing foundation? It was easy to see what was up. The financials didn’t look good, with the majority of the money coming in from Harry and Meghan projects. A second director quit in four months. Whomever is partnering with William on this prize? Better make sure the prize money is held by a different foundation.
This is consistent for the Cambridges. They throw a party or give an award to celebrate someone else’s work. When they tour another country, they try to make picture friendly to.make the whole thing fun and inviting. They lean into the royal cosplay aspect. And they partner up with other people who do the actual work for the projects, people who are icons like Mary Berry and Davie Attenborough. It’s very image over substance.
It’s very effective for their public image and it’s perfect for William who lives off the results of the efforts of other people whether it’s the Queen, Charles, Harry or even Kate.
I’m curious about what consistent funding David Attenborough has set up for this because let’s be real, William will let this fail if he has to do it.
Yep, that pretty much sums it up.
I am feeling the velvet jacket Bill is wearing. He should sport that more often.
Oh goody, maybe he’ll tell non-white people to stop having so many babies again.
While he keeps having them.
I think this is great.
Does this mean no more private planes for Normal Bill and Keen Katie?
I wonder if William will sell his helicopter to help fund this?
I know this site is called celeBitchy so I shouldn’t be surprised but this post is so bitchy. Who cares if similar prizes already exist? What harm could chucking more money at finding innovative solutions to the climate problem possibly do? We need solutions and scientists, and the fact is that the combination of William and David Attenborough is likely to draw attention and entrants and hopefully come up with something good. William probably will just be there to hand out awards – great, I wouldn’t want him coming up with the solutions, that’s not his job and who outside of the scientific community could really be hands on in the process?? But being given an award backed by the BRF and eventual king will automatically have kudos attached, end of. I also noticed the main innovation they laud is landing on the moon – an American feat – and wondered if it’s to try to inspire the American regime to get behind it and help work towards a solution. I thought it was pretty great and he has always championed environmental causes – waiting for the comments to say this is A HARRY CAUSE.
Agreed. The whole point of any of them is to shine a light. Exposure and Platform.
If the glitz of being royal adjacent brings more money and players to the table then I’m all for it.
You almost got it right. The rule is, you need to twist everything to “this is a Harry and Meghan cause.”
Mumbles 👏👏👏
I think this ultimately encompasses two debates: the usefulness of this initiative, and how William uses it.
I think the award itself is a good idea pending the processing of details and its rollout in its final form.
But I don’t think William leaning on another way to just hand out awards as work is good, honestly. Hopefully, he will supplement this with some more initiatives of his own this year….
Sure it sounds like a good initiative, but it’s funny when you compare right? He gets praised for just launching an environmental initiative whereas Harry had massive criticism thrown at him from the British press and commentators here alike. Also, if he’s a British royal representing the British people why is he lauding American initiatives in his video? He should be highlight British people right? Or is the xenophobia only reserved for the actual American in that family? If one royal gets charged with hypocrisy regarding climate change it’s only natural that the others will as well, why should he be spared from charges of hypocrisy as well? He regularly uses a helicopter to travel everywhere doesn’t he, but is telling we should all be doing our part (you know like how Harry did?). I’m not going to praise him for “at least doing something” – which somehow gives him a pass from hypocrisy.
Why is Rosa Parks in the video? I know she is central to the civil rights movement, but I am unaware of her involvement in environmental issues.
@Nic919 – I’m not sure either, but it seems like they are trying to appeal to Americans? Maybe for funding? But it looks tone deaf, considering she fought against racism and discrimination, something members of the RF have been actively participating in regarding Duchess Meghan.
@Suzy Webster: Agree with everything else you said, but IMO…The moon landing doesn’t belong to Americans alone. It belongs to mankind. Armstrong’s words, not mine.
Rosa Parks was included as an example of a great innovator and visionary who didn’t see herself that way at the time and didn’t realize that her action would spark great change.
So this initiative is going to be as revolutionary as Rosa Parks activism and the moon landing?
blue36- I spit out my water, LOL
@blue36, thanks for putting this “initiative” into a more realistic perspective, LOL! BTW, isn’t it ironic that the Sussexes are viciously criticized for anything they do that concerns Americans. I won’t be holding my breath for the same criticism to be leveled against Willie.
You’re waiting to make William a victim and he simply is not one. No one is treating him unfairly. He doesn’t have a good track record.
Thank you. Both Cams are reactive and disingenuous in their PR game and “big” initiatives. Also, that comparison to the Nobel Prize is embarrassing considering Willie’s poor project track record and this initiative is brand new with no status among environmentalists.
“hat harm could chucking more money at finding innovative solutions to the climate problem possibly do?”
Because this stuff doesn’t help. This stuff is nothing more than a vanity project that strokes the egos of the rich so that they can act like they’re doing something.
We HAVE the solutions for climate change, which people are choosing not to implement because that would fundamentally change the world as we know it. It would require reordering society as we see it today. Any acceptable, long-lasting, equitable solution for climate change hinges on making people like William and the rest of the royal family entirely obsolete. We cannot keep going as we are currently going and expect to have a liveable planet by the end of the century. But the drastic changes we need to implement today requires a society with a wholly different distribution of wealth and resources.
We don’t need more new and innovative solutions. We need to implement the solutions we have now. We don’t have time to develop new shit that’ll reassure the billionaires of this planet that they can hold on to their money and have to not face serious consequences for the way their policies are ruining this planet. And the bitter truth is that the solutions for climate change that we desperately need are solutions that William and his fellow rich and privileged idiots won’t like. So no, this is not a great cause. This is absolutely nothing.
Precisely.
If he were serious about climate change he would join the war on cars; all the many many cars which constitute 60% of what’s driving global warming, to say nothing of slaughtering people in the street at a rate worse than guns. Champion affordable housing near jobs, make a prize for the best improvement in public transportation in Britain, stop sucking up to the Saudis & the Gulf states, front a campaign for a British safe bike lane network like Paris. That’s what he would do if he were serious about the environment. And that will never happen.
Did you read earthshotprize.org? It’s an environmental initiative. We don’t know how much of it will be focused on climate change.
What environmental issues don’t relate to climate change? They are all linked? Over fishing, animals going extinct, etc. It’s all connected. So yes if William is going to gives prizes in environmental issues, it’s going to relate to climate change in some form.
And as pointed out, he is part of the elite class using way more than their share of resources and unwilling to make the real sacrifice needed.
Do you live in the real world? There are many environmental issues that have nothing to do with climate change.
@Nic919 playing let’s pretend Harry and Meghan aren’t part of the elite. Keep sticking your head in the sand.
Yes, A. It is absolutely nothing, but that is typical of William. He doesn’t want to do the work, but wants the credit. We won’t hear a peep out of him about him having three children, while he continues to lecture people on the African continent about family size.
Annoyingly William& Harry have similar interests so now that the press have this big rivalry& the press are pissed with the Sussexes, the double standards in treatments of their projects are obvious.
The press aren’t going to create a faux controversy calling
William a ‘woke’ hypocrite despite him using helicopters, private jets etc too, press aren’t going to make it a thing that teasing the announcement was to ‘break the internet’ or accuse him of focus that isn’t Britain but global as this award ceremony will be multi city. Press aren’t going to hammer for working with Americans/being ‘political’ despite Hillary Clinton backing this project (guess that’s what that meeting was -wonder if Cambridges new MAGA fans are pissed). As future king and as long as he’s friendly with the press and the Sussexes aren’t- you will see this double standard in reception. It’s interesting to observe. Kanye shrug.
All of this!
The virtue-signalling, woke Cambridge’s!
IKR. Woke Willie will get a pass, but not the DDoS.
Some are already trying to say that William isn’t “preaching” so this prize giving is acceptable.
I wonder WHOSE million dollars this is? Wills own?
No, of course not. They don’t spend their own money on anything.
Cash awards for meaningful environmental change is a good concept and the more establishment people get behind it the better. This has to become the norm. Trump can mock and marginalize Greta Thunberg all day long but he can not and will not attack Will.
That said, I would like to tell Will that CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME YOU MOFO. We’ve seen enough media attack pieces to last a lifetime and no amount of awards dinners will wash that away.
I initially misread the title as EARshot prize and thought it was an award for KP courtiers who overhear things and leak them to the press…
Anyway, the EARTHshot prize sounds like a great initiative regardless of William’s motivation. The environment should be everyone’s cause…
Omg!
“We will be awarding a prestigious prize to 5 winners per year over 10 years. Through this, and the winners work following each initial challenge, we hope to be able to provide at least 50 solutions to the world’s greatest problems by 2030. An annual awards ceremony will take place in different cities across the world each year between 2021 and 2030.”
William is copying the Invictus Games. Awards and different countries but for the environment.
Imagine the amount of planning needed and the environmental toll of all that travel and setting up for the awards! Wtf!
What was that thing Harry went to that was soundly criticized? How likely that all those factors will come into play here as well?
The only reason I can think to move countries is to highlight environmental efforts by the host country but why an awards ceremony there and again think of all the waste that will be generated.
I don’t know, I think it’s a bit of a stretch to say that this copying the Invictus Games. If anything the rotating cities model for IG is based on sporting events that rotate their host countries/cities (the World Cup, Olympics, Warrior Games). Rotating where the Earthshot awards ceremony takes place helps raise awareness for it across the world, which makes sense as it’s a new international award. I agree with you that the host city will likely be determined by each years’ winners or to highlight a country doing good work.
Oh, the concept of moving the Invictus Games around is derivative of the Olympics etc. I don’t disagree with you there And Harry openly admitted he ripped off the concept from an American event.
But why would you move around an environment award? I’m searching for a reason and the best I can come with is to highlight a winner’s country but there are five winners and what if they’re from the same countries over multiple years. And how do you set up to host the awards while avoiding doing environmental harm?
It’s that Google thing all over again -private jets, luxury accommodations etc.
And ten times in ten years with ten different countries. It feels like the King’s Cup all over again where it’s doubtful that they can keep this up or do it well.
My only reason for thinking there must be a better plan is Attenborough being involved.
And what are they raising awareness about? The environment, which everyone is aware about, or William and his award?
If they can get a significant chunk of money behind it, then that will be a true impact. The Cambridges met with the Gates Foundation -maybe that’s the kind of source for the funding. Because that is a big deal. Not because of a dumb award ceremony but because of funding and past success.
Hypocrite. When his numerous palaces are solar powered and he stops driving those rovers then he will be better respected. He has zero authority to talk on this and should not lead it. We don’t want a monarch who lives a grand life telling the Plebians how they should live. His grandmother is the richest person in the world. How much of her money is in the foundation saving the world. Hard pass from me on this attempt to embiggen The future king. If he worked to improve the NHS so peasants can get the same treatment as nobility and if he can improve the education system so the rich and poor have the same quality of teachers and resources He will earn the respect of his subjects.
This is the guy who put up hedges to make sure nobody sees how much he uses a private helicopter, so yeah…
It would have been amazing if they had committed to making the royal residences more environmentally sound.
So wait- he is not actually doing anything? He is offering some of his family’s money to other people and will honor them at silly ceremonies for which he will be credited for “work”.
There’s no way this money will come from him, lol
Exactly Maria. The richest family will never use their own money. And we know Bill is not passionate about the environment unless it’s about the impact and significance of rose bushes. His handlers came up with this idea for him to leave as his legacy and lest we forget…the Cambridges will save the monarchy.
I know the Daily Mail is rubbish, but I do read the comments often as I think they are a good reflection of middle England. The comments on William’s announcement are almost entirely scathing. Calling him out for using the environment for PR and for being hypocritical. Interesting to see if the media give W as much flak as they gave H over the private jets. Shan’t hold my breath!
Aren’t most of the commentators on the DM paid bots?
DM comments reflect right wing bots. It’s not middle England at all, appeals to small minded people without much education
Did he announce this from a beach getaway in Mustique or was it a ski vacation in the Alps?
I like the sound of this. Anything that shines the light on people trying to do good in this world, is a good thing.
‘shines the light’? That’s straight out of #PoorJason’s PR book.
I agree with the people who have said that anything that spurs solutions is a benefit, but wealthy people have SO MUCH MORE they themselves could do that would benefit the environment. Changing the focus of game management where they do their hunting. Sealing up parts of their enormous houses, multiple, or doing something with them. Not having multiple houses. Not flying private hither and yon, especially for vacations. Planting some of the millions of trees that will absorb our excess carbon – I mean not many of us have the acreage to be able to do that!
We do all need to do our part. I drive as a little as I can and am learning to grow vegetables (my yard has some interesting challenges) so that I can consume that much less. We chose a house close enough to school so our kids can walk. I haven’t flown in years. My actions just cannot have as much impact as Will and Kate, for example, could have because my footprint is SO much smaller.
Wealthy people could start with holding their fellow billionaires accountable, for a change. I don’t understand why the rest of us have to bear the burden for the things that we are not responsible for. I’m not the person who covered up the science on climate change and spent billions demonizing the notion of switching to cleaner sources of energy.
Rich people have the means and the money to shelter themselves from the inevitable fall out from climate change, something THEY are responsible for, because THEY prioritized money over everything else.
I was bit confused when I saw Rosa Parks in their video – wasn’t she a civil rights activist who fought against racism and discrimination? – something that KP has been active participants in regarding Meghan.
Lmfao there’s already a Nobel Prize for environmentalism. It’s called the Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences.
At first glance, I read “Earthsnot”…just me? 😂
I think the firm decides the initiatives & the royals just pick a cause they want to endorse. They may have some creative input but to blame this all on KP/Wills/Kate is ridiculous.
It’s clearer now since the Andrew PR disaster that the palace & Charles are in control & they want some royals in the forefront. Any dissension will be frowned upon or will be exiled. Will & Kate tow the line & so probably will be the face of the RF going forward. Charles, Will & George in the Christmas video & then the Christmas walks speaks for itself. They are the future.
Lead by example William. Your lavish lifestyle belies your so-called environmentalism.
First any attention to the environment is wonderful & well needed. If a Royal name & Sir A bring more attention then that is great. I would applaud Satan for working on environmental issues as this is not a joke. Singling out William for for his lavishness is ridiculous because all the royals lead luxurious lives. William & Harry have always been spoilt & they enjoy such lifestyles & I don’t see either living a modest life anytime soon. So if they use their platforms for the better that is great.
There’s no magic solution to rich people refusing to change their lifestyles and ways of making money that also happen to be killing our planet.
You can throw all the money in the world at it but the solution lies in not choosing making money over the environment.
A big splashy awards show is not going to change that and William and his excessive lifestyle is not going to change that either.
Blech … this guy. What an ass.
At least they are trying to take some initiative by doing something positive. I’ve lost all respect for this family after the budget airline stunt. But I do hope that in 2020 they cease the need to tear others down in order to build themselves up. It is absolutely appalling and unnecessary.
I thought this award was already out there, unless some other billionaire type has something similar. Finally William has an initiative and a project. Now he’s officially the environmental Royal who can tell you how to live your life if he mentions recycling. When he jets off to Davos or Camp Google on private jets, it will be fine because, just because, he’s gives environmental prizes. Now they can’t say anything to the Sussexes about being eco-hypocrites if they take a plane (nah- they’ll still criticize). Anyway, it highlights good initiatives. Let’s hope the real professionals and dedicated people behind the scenes get it launched.However, as long as you have people like Trump and Bolsanaro viewing any climate action as fake and hostile to their governments, and unless major governments put real action, (and taxes- including making billionaires pay more), this is baby steps and photo ops.
Good initiative.
Let’s see if those right-wing papers, Cambridge stans and megxit trolls call Will and Kate eco-hypocrites…
How many articles will be written about their pretentious, sanctimonious, virtue-signalling, woke initiative ?
Yes, it is a good initiative and l will be watching to see if William gets accused of ‘preaching ‘ or ‘hypocrisy ‘.
I hope the initiative brings about change, and also fair treatment by the BM toward all climate advocates. William is WIlliam. Let’s hope he is learning to lead in an authentic and mature way and supports the complementary initiatives of the rest of the RF.
The only reasonable thing someone in William’s position could do is step down from his position, campaign to abolish the monarchy, and figure out ways for people on this planet but especially in whatever counts as the “Western world” these days to stop living beyond their means, stop exploiting the planet for resources to fund sh-tty consumerist lifestyles that only ever line the pockets of the uber-wealthy while the rest of us exhaust ourselves for scraps on a dying planet that we are not responsible for the death of but will be held responsible ANYWAY, because hey, it’s definitely those dumb brown and black people who are having way too many children who are the problem here right! Not a rich, stupid white man who smugly prevaricates to people from his golden throne about how the rest of us should behave while his ilk were definitely the people most responsible for the way the climate is now.
Heck, you know what, I’ll go easy on him–the least he could do, the barest minimum he could START with, is by issuing an official apology for the absolutely horrendous remarks he made about overpopulation a while back. Cuz nothing says hypocritical motherf-cker quite like a rich white man with three children living on state welfare talking about how the rest of us poors are overbreeding.
This is so infuriating. This is such a stupid little vanity project, it’s disgusting. Shut the f-ck up William. Just stop.
I hope William does not “shot the fck up” and instead follows through on this initiative. We need all hands on deck to address the environmental issues on our hands.
He’s not going to do much that’s very effective in the long run. He’s going to protect the interests of the ruling class, while simultaneously flaunting his work with this initiative as deflection of any valid criticism that he and his fellow 1% hacks face in the upcoming decades. This is a bandaid on a crumbling wall. I don’t trust the motives of someone of his wealth, class, and position, because we’ve seen, time and time again, that when it really comes down to it, the rich protect their money at the expense of everything else. We’d all be better off if he shut the f-ck up, but hey, sure, let’s pat his ass and give him points for doing a whole lot more of nothing.
What will be wonderful is for Travelyst to win one of the awards.
This is like the regatta copied from spain and Sweden, from what was written they hijacked already upcoming award to label it as their thinking!!🤦♀️ their statement says this project is BEING BACKED by their foundation and hints it was a David attenborough driven project.
The Copykeen couple couldn’t even come up with a different description as UN’s version is already marketed as the noble prize version.
The model is also VERY similar to Netherlands
Prince Claus Awards which they clearly copied their multi language translated broucher as that is a GLOBAL event.
Hii happy New year. Do we have to be petty about every single little thing. For God’s sake for once in your lives admit that the guy did something good in his life . You act as if he is your worst enemy or worse even as if he is the worst human being on earth. And you don’t even know him or his wife or for this matter his brother and sister in law and the entire family. Why not appreciate the good work and give the guy some credit when credit is due. Ps got to say the Sussex family have a very cute baby just like the cambridges have very cute babies ❤
There’s too much negative energy in this post. It’s quite shocking coming on the eve to the end of a decade. Sigh.
Goodness. You are on a site called CeleBitchy. You are welcome at any time to go post on People or tumblr with the rest of the W&K stans.
A cause to support, endorser is good, no target too small. Could be v. good. Theirs to f up or somewise to gain. Here’s hoping they rise!
Why would they release this news on New Years Eve? The timing was not the best. We’re out partying and getting drunk, not really focusing on this. They should have waited until Thursday.
They already stated they released it to coincide with New Zealand’s New Year’s Day. The whole world doesn’t revolve around your country you know – rolls eyes.
I’m sure it was the biggest news there. LOL
Even if it’s not completely innovative and even if the royal family are hypocrites in terms of the environment, I am all for any environmental initiative that makes a difference. We desperately need it and this goes way beyond inane gossip.
But don’t you see, this is not about an environmental initiative, it’s about William and his grooming to be the future king. His handlers came up with a pet project for him to support. William is not passionate about the environment as evidenced by his lifestyle and flybe hijinks, therefore he is NOT the person to lead this charge. There are many other environmental incentives and awards out there, if he donated £5million of his personal funds to any of them that would be putting his money where his mouth is. But he won’t, because at the root of it, he doesn’t really care. It’s like when he said he was bored with racism and yet, said nothing as his nephew was likened to a chimpanzee. He comes up with ideas for mental health wellness and then horribly gaslights his brother by sarcastically describing him as fragile after he describes the emotional torture he was going through. There is absolutely no empathy on his part. He should stick with heads together and try to save broken Britain. And no, I won’t support the idea just because it’s a good initiative. its like Donald trump coming up with an anti bullying program. sorry, I’ll support one of the many other programs out there.
Hillary Clinton is also a supporter. It’s an interesting project with potential and is happening regardless of the wailing and gnashing of teeth by some on here.
I see no “wailing and gnashing”, just straight up “can you believe this sh*t” for an prematurely hyped (Nobel-level) project that has yet to gain any status with world leaders or environmentalists. And, “Hillary Clinton”? That couldn’t possibly be the same Hillary Clinton the Sussexes and their PR director were condemned for just knowing or working for like she was the devil, itself.
@ROYALBLUE
I agree with you. Its surprising how many people here have already lined up to praise him for this vague announcement with no information expect it running for a decade!!!
Like you said he could’ve highlighted the already existing awards/grants even partner up with the UN but that wouldn’t give him the PR he desires as it’d be a shared worldwide collaboration.
I wonder if itll end up like that cyberbullying initiative😒
Agree with “Its surprising how many people here have already lined up to praise him”. Some of the comments are so blatantly promotional that it makes me think there’s monetary compensation involved in posting them.
With so many brand new names, all being anti-Meghan, and using phrases like ‘shine the light’ which is a #PoorJason key phrase. They’ve so obvious.
Harry and Meghan: We want to help the Earth! We like to do environmentalist things!
William: oh ho! Well I am so environmental that I have created an award for environmentalists!
Meghan: He’s doing it again….
Harry: ….🤦🏻♂️
William: I shall not give it you brother! 🕺🏻
Long-time reader, first-time commenting. Tin-foil hats everyone!?! This Earthshot “announcement” feels like a much larger politically motivated issue to me, potentially at the core of the conflict between Harry & William/Charles. It is blatantly obvious that the Sussexes have a greater capacity for creativity, innovation, and a work ethic, and the Cambridges not so much. The Earthshot idea feels like it originated from the Sussex camp but was given to the Cambridges because they needed a global project on a global stage as part of their grooming for the throne. Sussexes were pushed aside. Just follow the trail back for a couple of years and see the pattern of projects. Cambridges are clearly in a “anything you can do we can do better” mode. Sussex Grenfell cookbook success — Cambridge look we can cook with beloved Mary Berry. Not to mention the staged Christmas pudding show, an in-your-face display of 3 generations of direct heirs. Sussex trip to Africa to celebrate Earth Day, Cambridge trip to Pakistan to see melting glacier. Private airplane vs public flight fiasco. B/W Christmas card from Sussex’s – here comes Christmas card #2 – B/W William good daddy Christmas card. I always felt there must have been a really serious breach of trust for the Sussexes to bare their feelings so openly in the South Africa documentary. They were hurt. And Meghan’s comment about expecting things to be hard, but also expecting fairness and not getting it suggests a major backstab. I believe now it over their idea and ownership for global climate change awards. I also believe this whole Earthshot announcement and platform is the reason the Sussexes spent the holidays out of the country. It was probably mutually agreed they were to have no part in any of big announcements. And final stab in the back from Cambridge’s – let’s announce Earthshot on New Year’s Day – New Zealand time – not UK time.. NZ is a Commonwealth country. Who are the President and VP of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust? Clearly the Sussexes are using their “downtime” to collaboratively establish their foundation with people they believe will be loyal to them. Removing tin foil…
I absolutely agree Veronicat. A while back it was reported that William and Bill Gates had met. I wondered then whether or not it was regarding a project that had been started while the Sussexes were still with the Cambridge foundation. You are absolutely right, it smacks of an endeavor far more suited to the Sussxes and it is Harry not William that goes to Davos. Keep posting your tin foil hat theories!
@VERONICAT
I think you’re on to something there.**picking up my tinfoil hat**
Since the royal foundation forum I think its clear how Bill got worried about the confident eloquent biracial with so many ideas. We ALL anticipated the split but it happened much sooner (another clue) probably because of the finances.
The latest foundation report hints to a troubling trend of investing assets in Bill’s projects (which past reports hints that some were abandoned by Bill after a while).
The plane stunt and tim shipman’s piece(which validated the leaked Amy Robach video about palace controlling the press through threat of access to W&K) was the nailed in the coffin which made even ultra royalists if there was reason behind all this.
Knowing how Charles was jealous with diana’s popularity and how that ended its tragic that bill didnt learn from it and choose to bargain with the British tabloids(probably to bury stories about rose+ other mistresses) at the expense of his brother and SIL.