NEW YORK ― Prince William arrived in New York on Monday and did something unexpected that most New Yorkers would never consider. The Prince of Wales ventured into the East River wearing waders, with the iconic Manhattan skyline as his backdrop. This endeavor was part of an event organized by the Billion Oyster Project, a nonprofit dedicated to the restoration of 1 billion oysters in the New York Harbor by 2035. Agata Poniatowski, the public outreach manager for the project, emphasized the significance of the visual image of the royal engaging with the water. She stated that William’s participation helped change the perspective of the water from being seen as dirty and gross to being swimmable on certain days of the week. This initiative aims to alter public perception and create a positive impact on the environment.
The prince’s involvement with the organization began with a boat ride to Governor’s Island, right after his arrival on a commercial flight from the U.K. He met with restaurateurs, volunteers, staff, and students involved with the project on the island before taking another boat to Brooklyn Bridge Park. There, he immersed himself in the water to observe the oysters and interacted with 12-year-old students from Harbor Middle School. The middle schoolers were pleasantly surprised to discover that their “special guest” was, in fact, the prince himself. This encounter showcased the prince’s commitment to his environmental initiative, The Earthshot Prize.
Furthermore, the Prince of Wales is scheduled to unveil the 15 finalists for this year’s Earthshot Prize at the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit on Tuesday. The summit, co-hosted by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Bloomberg Philanthropies, aligns with New York Climate Week. During his time in New York, the prince also met with the U.N. secretary-general in preparation for the 78th session of the U.N. General Assembly.
Expressing his enthusiasm upon landing at Newark airport, the prince expressed his delight at being back in the United States. He lauded the American people for their optimism and ingenuity, emphasizing the unveiling of this year’s Earthshot finalists in New York City as a fitting tribute to their spirit. In addition to his environmental engagements, William is expected to meet with first responders in Manhattan to discuss their work and mental health. Given that this visit falls shortly after the anniversary of September 11th, the prince is mindful of the significance of this occasion for the individuals he will meet, and he aims to acknowledge their loss and support.
Originally slated to visit New York in September of last year, the prince’s trip was postponed due to the passing of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. However, he is now looking forward to engaging with New Yorkers and expressed his gratitude for their understanding during the cancellation last year. The prince’s previous visit to New York was in 2014 with his wife, Kate Middleton, and they also visited Boston in 2021. HuffPost covered their royal tour and reported on their attendance at the 2022 Earthshot Prize ceremony. William’s optimism for the Earth’s future was highlighted in an exclusive essay he wrote for HuffPost, where he advocated for supporting game-changers and believing in the power of human ingenuity during this critical decade.
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