Prince William has arrived at the Savoy Hotel to host the thirteenth annual Tusk Conservation Awards, celebrating the achievements of leading African conservationists. The Prince of Wales was spotted laughing and joking as he met with patrons and supporters.
William is Royal Patron of Tusk and helped to launch the awards in 2013, to carry on his passion and dedication for conservation efforts around the world.
The Prince of Wales cut a smart figure in a blue suit as he mingled with guests. He was seen laughing and joking with the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood and his wife Sally.
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For over a decade, the awards have recognised dedicated, forward-thinking individuals who are conservation leaders and wildlife rangers across Africa. Since the inception of the awards, 61 winners have received over ÂŁ2 million in grants for their organisation, enabling them to scale their work and collectively improve protection for over 60 species.
The winners highlight the importance of collaboration in effective conservation and have shared their expertise and knowledge to drive vital change in tackling issues such as the illegal wildlife trade and climate change.
After arriving at the awards, Prince William will meet with key supporters and ambassadors of Tusk as well as the award winners. The ceremony will open and close with a performance from the London Assembly Gospel Choir and The Prince will present three awards: the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa, The Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa and the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award.
Each winner will receive a trophy and significant grant funding for their organisation to continue their work. Following the awards presentation, His Royal Highness will give a short speech.
As Royal Patron of Tusk, William has long been a supporter of the charity’s efforts on wildlife conservation, and earlier this year released a docuseries titled Guardians, which shone a spotlight on the individuals at the forefront of wildlife protection and conservation.
Tusk’s vision is a united Africa where people and wildlife co-exist and thrive. To achieve this, the charity’s work accelerates the impact of African-driven conservation. Since 1990, Tusk has generated over £130 million to support more than 250 local partner organisations and ranger teams across 25+ African countries, empowering the continent’s conservation movement.
