Prince William surprised Earthshot Prize winner Notpla by giving a detailed tribute to the sustainable packaging company during a surprise appearance on The Graham Norton Show, a gesture its co-founder described as deeply personal.
The Duke of Cornwall joined conservationist Robert Irwin and actors Cate Blanchett and Hannah Waddingham on the show on Friday night. He charmed viewers with jokes about The Traitors before turning attention to the Earthshot Prize, the global environmental challenge he launched in 2020.
A Favourite Initiative
Asked about standout initiatives he has witnessed, William highlighted Notpla, which won the Earthshot Prize in 2022 in the 'Build a Waste-Free World' category. "One of my favourites is Notpla, which stands for Not Plastic, and it [was] actually started in the UK by a Spanish and French guy at university, who got fed up with picking up plastic off beaches and around the world," he told the audience. "So he came up with a plastic alternative, which was seaweed."
Co-founder Pierre Paslier told HELLO! he was shocked by the tribute. "I had absolutely no idea he would mention Notpla, let alone give such a detailed pitch about what we do. It really shows how deeply personal the Earthshot Prize is to him," he said.
Positive Message
Paslier added that the support came at a welcome time. "Political commitments towards our planet's health have been wavering in the past couple of years, so that kind of positive message from HRH is such a welcome boost of energy." He also said: "It's amazing to see how he uses his platform to bridge such a widespread group of people to focus on this crucial issue."
William's appearance was widely well received, with critics saying he chose the right programme given The Graham Norton Show's broad viewership. Sarah Carson, culture writer at The i Paper, said Kensington Palace is "laser-focused on making him appear as 'average millennial dad' as possible, so that we forget his lineage or his privilege or any of the drama associated with his family and decide that, perhaps, the monarchy has a future after all." She added: "I'm afraid I have to report it was a triumph."
