The Prince of Wales made a grand entrance at the 2024 Earthshot Prize Awards in Cape Town, South Africa on November 6. Standing alongside A-list attendees and hosts on the prestigious green carpet, Prince William dazzled in a casual smart ensemble. However, some social media users found his outfit to be a bit too lackluster for someone of his royal status.
For the glitzy environmental event, the Prince donned a vintage gray checkered blazer, which he wore over a crisp light blue Ecoalf shirt listed as the "Alfredo Shirt" online. The item is currently selling for $119.88.
He paired his top and blazer with formal navy pants and $167.97 (£130) eco-friendly "Walden White" sneakers from Purified Shoes. According to the Daily Mail, Prince William surprised one of the creators of the shoes when he wore them at the event.
Mary Allen, who works for Natural Fiber Welding (the company that produces Purified Footwear), marveled, "I had no idea Prince William was going to be wearing the shoes until just before we got here. It's such a huge honor. I was told he sourced them himself after learning of our product and it's a massive boost for us."
Joining Prince William at the star-studded affair were award co-hosts Billy Porter and Bonang Matheba, who both looked chic in their respective outfits. Billy sported a monochrome suit and Bonang donned a sparkly gown featuring structural details.
Famous conservationist Robert Irwin and talented actress Nomzamo Mbatha, who are both ambassadors of the Earthshot Prize, were two other stars spotted posing for photos at the gala.
While the Australian environmentalist sported a classy tuxedo, Nomzamo wore a beautiful yellow dress with pouffy sleeves.
The esteemed guest list of campaigners, finalists, and stars also included supermodels Heidi Klum and Winnie Harlow, the former of whom took to Instagram to gush over her experience at the event.
Heidi sported a striking one-sleeve tangerine dress, while Winnie donned an elegant gown that was a chocolate color.
In addition to photos showing Prince William posing for the cameras and chatting and laughing with the attendees, a standout video shared on X displays the warm and lively reception he received upon arriving at the event.
Lined up on each side of a winding pathway were locals dressed in traditional clothing, who danced and cheered as Prince William made his way down the path. He was accompanied by Earthshot Prize CEO Hannah Jones, who wore a maroon-colored ensemble.
Upon seeing the videos and photos of Prince William's appearance at the event, many netizens flooded social media comment sections with their opinions. Some felt that the royal was slightly underdressed, with one user asking, "He didn't pack a formal suit?"
However, quickly coming to Prince William's defense, another responded, "neither [sic] did Billy Porter!" Still, the commenter who posed the question replied, "Billy Porter has style. That suit hitting the right spot."
"it just doesn't fit. Looks not right [sic]. We are people of glitz and glam. We own it," added the same person who asked whether or not Prince William packed a formal suit. Another spectator remarked, "He looks ridiculous."
Adding to the disdain for Prince William's ensemble, someone else penned, "Did he get dressed in the dark or." "He's really taking this grubby homeless look too far now," opined an observer on X.
Focusing on a specific item, an Instagrammer wrote, "Not liking the trainers," while another referenced the entire outfit, "Not a good look!"
Taking the matter even further by bringing Robert into the mix, a netizen commented, "Robert Irwin looks like the prince here, I don't know about William."
Amid the critique, came praise from a fan who complimented, "Love the blazer! 💚💚💚." However, some mixed feelings were also expressed. "It's a lovely blazer. The rest of the outfit is not as lovely."
While netizens had much to say about Prince William's appearance, the commentary does not take away from the importance of the event, which spotlighted five winning organizations that were chosen from almost 2,500 nominees across 75 countries.
The five winners include Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems, High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, Keep IT Cool, Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, and the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO).
These organizations received a generous prize of approximately $1,290,500 (£1 million) so they can develop and elevate their solutions to climate change and environmental issues.
"It was so close. All the finalists were so close! There were the little things that just got it over the line," mentioned Prince William during his conversation with the finalists after the winners had been announced.
Ahead of the event, the Prince, who was seen making preparations at the venue alongside event coordinators, took some time to chat with Sky News about the gala.
During the interview segment, which was shared on TikTok, the Prince spoke about his family's environmental habits.
"Every family tries to do what they can to sort of help with the environment, and we get through all the basics of recycling and making sure we minimize water use and turning off lights when you leave the house and stuff like that. And making sure we're just sensible with what we do around the environment," disclosed the royal.
The interviewer then asked Prince William about the sweet colorful charm bracelet he was wearing on one of his wrists. "This is a relic, if you like, from a Taylor Swift concert that my daughter decided that she wanted to create a bracelet for, and uhm, she gave it to me," he shared.
Prince William also noted how he promised Princess Charlotte that he would wear the bracelet and not lose it during his stay in South Africa. The conversation then veered toward Princess Catherine's health status after completing chemotherapy, as the interviewer asked how she is doing.
"She's doing really well, thanks, and hopefully she's watching tonight and uhm, sort of cheering me on [...] She's been amazing this whole year, and I know she'll be really keen to see tonight be a success," answered the Prince.
