William the eco rock star! Prince of Wales poses for selfies with adoring fans as he lands in Singapore for third annual Earthshot Prize while Kate stays home with the children

Prince William was given a rock star welcome being greeted by hundreds of adoring fans in Singapore as he arrived on the isand for the the third annual Earthshot Prize.

The heir was all smiles as he arrived the Jewel Changi Airport with cheering crowds holding up homemade signs, waving Union Jack flags and clutching photos of his late mother Princess Diana.

The Prince of Wales chatted with children and took selfies with those eagerly lining the airport, as he walked through with Sim Ann, the country’s foreign affairs minister. 

The eco-royal was given high praise by one finalist for the prestigious award who said William was ‘the bigger cheerleader for the planet’.

During his four-day trip around the Asian island, he will announce the next batch of companies and inventors to be handed £1million at the prestigious awards, as well as speak with previous winners.

Unlike in previous years when William and Kate attended ceremonies in Boston and London hand in hand, this year the Princess of Wales will stay at home with her children, helping George study for important exams. 

The ten-year-old Prince, who is in Year 6 at Lambrook prep school in Berkshire, will likely be sitting entrance exams to his future private school, being tested in mathematics, English and verbal reasoning. 

Prince William (pictured with Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs at the Jewel Changi Airport) has touched down in Singapore to attend the third annual Earthshot Prize

Prince William waves to huge crowds gathered at the Jewel, a nature-themed complex located in Changi Airport 

Prince William and Kate attending the Earthshot Prize at Alexandra Palace, London in October 2021

Crowds hold up homemade signs and photos of Princess Diana while waiting for Prince William at the airport 

Upon his arrival to the airport he was shown the Jewel, a nature-themed complex within the terminal. 

To officially mark the arrival of Earthshot in Singapore, Jewel’s 40 metre rain vortex, the world’s largest indoor waterfall, will be switched on and illuminated green. 

Opened in 2019, Jewel is a nature-themed entertainment and retail complex surrounded by and linked to one of the passenger terminals of Changi Airport. 

Arriving in Singapore, William took to X, formerly known as Twitter, sharing his excitement to be back on the island.

He wrote: ‘Hello Singapore. It’s fantastic to be back in Singapore for this year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony, after eleven years. Singapore’s bold vision to be a leader for environmental innovation sets the standard for others to follow. 

‘I am grateful to the Singaporean people for hosting us this week. Let us all take inspiration from the fantastic work being done here as we celebrate this year’s Earthshot Prize finalists.’

As William arrived on the continent Earthshot winner Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, who is the founder and chief executive of UK-based ENSO, praised the royal for ‘following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather’ to repair the planet.

The awards will see five category winners presented with £1 million each to scale up their environmental ideas.

This evening evening, William is set to be welcomed to Singapore at Changi Airport and will turn on the world’s largest indoor waterfall, the HSBC Rain Vortex, which will light up green.

Mr Erlendsson, whose company creates tyres designed for electric vehicles that are more sustainable and reduce tyre pollution, said the prince’s commitment to repairing the planet ‘means everything’.

The Prince beams into the camera as he is met with crowds waving Union Jacks 

William laughs as he speaks to those gathered at Singapore’s airport 

The Prince of Wales was spotted with beaming crowds posing for selfies 

Prince William waves to huge crowds gathered at the Jewel, a nature-themed complex located in Changi Airport 

Crowds gather at Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore, awaiting Prince Williams arrival 

Prince William waves to crowds as he walks through Changi Airport in Singapore

Crowds cheer as Prince William arrives at Changi Airport, watching the HSBC Rain Vortex – the world’s tallest indoor waterfall 

Prince William’s trip to Singapore will last four days in total, participating in a number of events for Earthshot week 

He said: ‘He is probably the biggest cheerleader for the planet at this stage. So, having him supporting not only by raising awareness of tyre pollution for ENSO, but also supporting our solution to tackle it has been phenomenal. There is no other person I think that could have given us as much support.’

Mr Erlendsson said the ‘honour is really to be nominated’ and that the £1 million would be a ‘nice extra bonus, but everyone gets the same exposure’.

He said that ENSO being nominated has meant the ‘most famous person in the world’ is now talking about tyre pollution.

William visited ENSO during a trip to Sustainable Ventures, a working space which helps fund and support green firms, in October. The Prince also asked for feedback ‘on the Earthshot process and ways for them to improve’.

Mr Erlendsson has been in the Earthshot Prize’s fellowship retreat with the other finalists meeting companies which have helped them to craft their ‘messaging and missions’. He said the experience has been ‘absolutely an amazing journey’.

Meanwhile Orr Yarkoni, chief executive of Colorifix, which has headquarters in Norwich, said being a finalist was a ‘huge honour’ and the fellowship retreat has been ‘quite intense but very rewarding’.

Colorifix uses DNA sequencing and nature’s own colours to create sustainable dyes that reduce the fashion industry’s use of water and harmful chemicals.

Prince William talks to children gathered outside of Changi Airport, as many try to get a snap of him 

During his four-day trip to Singapore, the prince will take part in Earthshot Week

Mr Yarkoni said he ‘echoes the prince’s sentiment of hope’ for fixing the planet. 

In the dyeing sector colours are made illegal every year due to their impact on the environment, Mr Yarkoni said.

He added the company, which has already worked with brands such as H&M, was approached by a ‘big luxury brand’ in 2019 for help as the red they use was being made illegal and the brand’s solution was to ‘stop making red things’.

During his four-day trip to Singapore, the prince will take part in Earthshot Week, a series of events bringing together businesses and investors with past winners and current finalists to accelerate their solutions.

William will also take part in dragon boating, meet Singaporeans to learn how they are working locally to protect the planet, and attend a United for Wildlife summit, aimed at tackling the illegal trade in animal parts.

It has now been announced Emmy Award winning actor and producer Sterling K Brown will join Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham to co-host the awards.

Bebe Rexha will perform, award-winning director and producer Donnie Yen will announce one of the five winners and Earthshot Prize Council member Sir David Attenborough will make a video appearance during the broadcast.

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