The Prince of Wales will have a high-level meeting with South Africa’s president as he continues his visit to the Commonwealth nation.
William’s audience with Cyril Ramaphosa has been described as a “follow-up” to the state visit made to the UK by Mr Ramaphosa in 2022.
Later the prince will give a major speech on nature, the environment and his support for wildlife rangers at the start of a two-day summit for United for Wildlife, his umbrella organisation combating the illegal trafficking of animals.
We very much see this as a follow-up to the state visit... which we continue to see here as a very historic moment between the UK and South Africa
The future king began a four-day visit to Cape Town on Monday and during the coming days will take part in a series of events shining a light on young African climate activists and promoting his Earthshot Prize awards ceremony.
Dubbed the prince’s “Super Bowl” moment, the prize-giving event on Wednesday will recognise environmental solutions to “repair” the planet, with five category winners each receiving £1 million to “scale up” their plans.
The prince and the president will sit down for talks later and be joined by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in the country for a meeting with his South African counterpart Ronald Lamola.
Antony Phillipson, Britain’s high commissioner to South Africa, said about the royal visit: “I would just highlight that we are actually delighted to have the Prince of Wales here this week for Earthshot week, and we will be taking the opportunity of doing some bilateral events with him, and for him.”
He added: “We very much see this as a follow-up to the state visit… which we continue to see here as a very historic moment between the UK and South Africa.”
William will also attend Earthshot+, a day of conversations with world-leading experts aimed at enhancing the impact of the Earthshot Prize, with the event featuring a young environmentalist, an Earthshot trustee and Mr Lammy, among others.
Later, William changed from the sustainable causal outfit he wore for the walk up Signal Hill, a shirt by EcoAlf and jacket by Rapanui, to a suit, shirt and tie for his meeting with South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa.
The two men met at the entrance of Mr Ramaphosa’s official residence in Cape Town, but when they posed for pictures on steps leading to the garden, they were asked by the press to greet each other again and the president joked “another handshake” and shook hands with his guest.
Also at the meeting was Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in the country for a meeting with his South African counterpart, Ronald Lamola.
