William’s flying solo! Prince visits New York oyster farm as he makes his first trip to the Big Apple in a decade to unveil his Earthshot Prize finalists

• Tomorrow William will announce the 15 finalists for this yr’s Earthshot Prize

Prince William mentioned it used to be ‘so good to be back’ in the US after arriving to announce the finalists of the 2023 Earthshot Prize.

The Prince of Wales mentioned that ‘no-one does optimism and ingenuity like the American people’ as he arrived at Newark airport final night time on the two day trip.

William, who flew industrial and used to be touring with out the Princess of Wales, went directly from the airport to Governor’s island, which sits in New York Harbour.

There he used to be due to know about the Billion Oyster Project, which objectives to make the waters round New York blank by means of hanging a billion oyster shells in them by means of 2035 to act as herbal filters.

Tomorrow William will announce the 15 finalists for this yr’s Earthshot Prize, which awards firms and initiatives specializing in local weather answers.

There seems to be no plans to see his estranged brother whilst in the US – simply days after Prince Harry’s Invictus Games got here to a shut in Dusseldorf, Germany.

William helped discovered the awards in 2020 and each and every yr 5 winners get £1m in opposition to their challenge.

Arriving at the airport he mentioned: ‘It’s so excellent to be again in United States. No one does optimism and ingenuity like the American other people, so it’s handiest proper we unveil this yr’s Earthshot finalists in New York City.

‘80 years ago, the world came together in this great city to find a new way, through the UN, to solve our shared challenges.

‘I know our generation can take the bold action we need to make changes towards a healthy and sustainable world. The challenge may feel huge, but as John F Kennedy taught us, we rise to the challenge not because it is easy, but because it is hard. And vital’.

On Governor’s Island William used to be anticipated to meet schoolchildren who’re finding out marine biology and communicate with workers of the Billion Oyster Project.

He used to be due to see the massive pile of oyster shells which might be donated by means of 75 eating places in New York relatively than being despatched to landfill websites.

And later on – regardless of the grey skies and rain – he used to be due to wade into the East River from a small seaside and put some oysters into the water.

The Prince left the Princess of Wales at house with the youngsters as he travelled to the US – with Kate additionally now not anticipated to sign up for him for the Earthshot Awards rite in Singapore in November. 

William used to be in Boston final yr to announce the winners of the 2020 Earthshot Prize.

William based the awards in 2020, announcing he sought after to flip ‘present pessimism surrounding environmental problems into optimism by means of celebrating the other people and puts riding exchange’. 

Every yr between 2021 and 2030, an awards rite will honour winners in the prize’s 5 classes who’re growing inventions which take on environmental problems. Each winner is given £1million to strengthen and scale their paintings. 

But that is William’s first talk over with to New York since 2014 and used to be postponed from final yr due to the loss of life of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Ahead of William’s arrival, a Kensington Palace spokesman mentioned: ‘The prince was incredibly appreciative for the love and support shown by the American people during that time.

‘He is very much looking forward to being back in New York this week and hopefully meeting as many New Yorkers as possible’

On the trip William is scheduled to talk over with a fireplace station in Manhattan and meet with first responders and discuss psychological well being – his trip is simply a week after the twenty second anniversary of the 9/11 assaults.

He may be due to meet the UN Secretary General António Guterres all through the week the place the UN General Assembly is assembly.

A gathering with US President Joe Biden, who’s attending, is ‘unlikely’, the Kensington Palace spokesman mentioned – the two males met final yr in Boston.

It comes simply days after his brother, Prince Harry, instructed veterans they ‘must now not really feel misplaced with out a uniform’ all through an emotional ultimate speech at the Invictus Games – 3 years after he used to be stripped of his army titles in the wake of Megxit.

The Duke of Sussex used to be visibly emotional in a heartfelt speech final at the ultimate rite of the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany. 

The 39-year-old mentioned all through his five-minute ultimate speech that they ‘are not looking for to depend on a uniform’ nor must they ‘really feel misplaced with out one’. 

Prince Harry himself has now not worn a uniform since he and Meghan moved clear of the UK in 2020 and he used to be stripped off his army titles. 

At the Queen’s funeral final yr, Harry used to be pictured dressed in a swimsuit whilst his father King Charles and his older brother Prince William had been dressed in their uniforms.

At the Invictus Games, Harry added in his speech on why veterans are not looking for depend on their uniforms: ‘Why? Because the whole thing you want is already inside of you. Tomorrow you’re going to each and every stroll away with recollections which might be other and distinctive to you.

‘But my hope is that each reminiscence made, brings a smile to your face thru a sense of belonging and a chance for you and your circle of relatives to glance ahead with worth and function. ‘

Harry additionally mentioned to the competition how their ‘vulnerability’ had ‘opened the hearts’ of hundreds of thousands of other people everywhere the international.

Meghan Markle stood along her husband in the crowd in a sparkling inexperienced get dressed. During the rite she couldn’t cover her satisfaction as she beamed at Team USA after they took their position for the ultimate rite of the Invictus Games.