Prince William impresses Harry with Earthshot Prize raising £22.5M in 9 months

Prince of William finds himself facing a future that appears less certain than anticipated just a few weeks ago. 

However, amidst concerns for the wellbeing of his wife, Catherine, and especially King Charles, he has received a significant morale boost.

This boost comes in the form of the Earthshot Prize, initiated by him in 2019 and awarded for the first time two years later. 

Five winners were selected in separate categories, each receiving £1 million for devising solutions to what William termed as "some of the world's greatest environmental problems."

At the time of its inception, Earthshot was administered by the Royal Foundation, established by Princes William and Harry in 2009 to advance their charitable endeavors.

In a significant development, the Prize underwent a transition in 2022, being spun off to operate as a separate charity entity. Any concerns about its viability have now been decisively dispelled, as recent disclosures reveal. 

The newly established Earthshot Prize charity, in its inaugural nine months, amassed an impressive £22.4 million in income.

While the Royal Foundation contributed £8.6 million to the cause, the bulk of the funding came from various other channels, as outlined in the recently published accounts by the Charity Commission. 

Donations amounted to £7 million, with additional support in the form of 'gifts in kind' totaling just over £3 million. 

A substantial grant from the American Friends of the Royal Foundation contributed £2.7 million to the total. 

This remarkable achievement stands in stark contrast to the performance of the Archewell Foundation, founded by Prince Harry and Meghan after their departure from the Royal Foundation. 

Recent figures from the U.S. tax authorities, released just before Christmas, show a significant decline in donations for the couple. 

Contributions plummeted by £8.7 million, dropping from £10.3 million to under £1.6 million within a single year.