This week Prince William traveled to South Africa for the fourth annual Earthshot Prize ceremony and a series of events emphasizing his commitment to conservation and the environment. On Wednesday, a few hours before the ceremony began in Cape Town, the prince mentioned that his wife, Kate Middleton, was doing well following the end of her cancer treatment in September. “She’s doing really well, thanks. And hopefully she is watching tonight,” he said of his wife, per People. “She’s been amazing this whole year. I know she will be really keen to see tonight be a success.”
In the conversation, he also mentioned that he encourages his three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, to take personal action to protect the environment at home. “Every family tries to do what they can to sort of help with the environment,” he said. “We go through all the basics of recycling and making sure we minimize water use and turning off lights when we leave the house and stuff like that.”
Though climate change was the topic of his visit, William didn’t mention the US election, which could have grave implications for the United States’ position on climate action. Despite the royals’ commitment to the environment, we’re unlikely to hear any commentary from them. Beyond his long-standing advocacy around the issue, King Charles III, as the UK’s head of state, is unlikely to get much more political.
UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer called President-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him on his victory Wednesday. A press release from 10 Downing Street said the call emphasized that the relationship between the two nations is still strong. “The prime minister offered his hearty congratulations and said he looked forward to working closely with President-elect Trump across all areas of the special relationship,” the release stated. “From defense and security to growth and prosperity, the relationship between the UK and US was incredibly strong and would continue to thrive for many years to come, the leaders agreed.”
During the first Trump administration, then prince Charles was friendly with the president and his wife, Melania Trump, during their two visits to the UK in 2019. In her recent memoir, Melania revealed that she and her husband had continued to keep in touch with the king via letter. Following the July assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, Charles reached out to the president to express his concern.
