Prince William and Kate Middleton promote sustainability with outfit choices for Earthshot Prize Awards

Ceremony will award five winners £1m prizes for their solutions for repairing planet

Prince William and Kate Middleton both made fashion statements with their arrival on the green carpet at the inaugural Earthshot Prize ceremony.

On Sunday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived for the ceremony at London’s Alexandra Palace, with a video posted to the Royal Family YouTube channel showing the couple emerging from their car to walk the green carpet.

For the event, which will see five awards presented to individuals recognised for their environmental advocacy, Prince William opted for a green velvet suit jacket, which he paired with a black turtleneck and black suit pants.

The green blazer, which is a fitting colour for the night’s focus on the environment, has been worn by the duke previously, with Prince William wearing a similar outfit in 2019 when he attended Centrepoint’s 50th anniversary gala.

The duchess chose a custom-made lilac Alexander McQueen gown that she previously wore in 2011 to the Bafta awards in Los Angeles at the conclusion of the couple’s royal tour.

William and Kate’s choice to recycle outfits was made in accordance with the dress code rules laid out ahead of the event, as People notes that attendees were asked not to purchase new dresses or suits for the ceremony.

In addition to the dress code, the ceremony is also promoting sustainability through its menu, which features plant-based foods, and its paperless policy, according to Town&Country. The event also ensured that no guests were flown in just for the night.

Prince William and Kate Middleton recycle outfits for Earthshot Prize ceremony (Joe Maher/Getty Images)

During tonight’s ceremony, five winners will be chosen from a group of finalists who submitted their solutions for repairing the planet, with each winner set to receive £1m to advance their work.

The star-studded event, which will see stars including Emma Thompson and Emma Watson present awards, will also feature musical performances by artists including Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, and Shawn Mendes.

Ahead of the ceremony, Prince Charles praised his son for creating the award, which is expected to be given out annually through 2030.

In a statement shared to social media, the Prince of Wales wrote: “I am very proud of my son, William, for his growing commitment to the environment and the bold ambition of the Earthshot Prize. As a world, we need to come together to inspire, reimagine and build the sustainable future we so desperately need.”