STARS TURN OUT FOR THE EARTHSHOT PRIZE THE PRINCE OF WALES ROYAL HEADS TO CAPE TOWN FOR PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS CEREMONY

The Prince of Wales's love for Africa is well known: it is where he spent his gap year before heading to university.

He became captivated by its wildlife, which he vowed to protect, and it is also where he asked Kate Middleton to marry him.

Now, ahead of arriving in Cape Town, South Africa for what has been described as his "Super Bowl moment" his fourth annual Earthshot Awards ceremony - he has again spoken of his affection for the continent, once fondly described as his "second home".

"Africa has always held a special place in my heart - as somewhere I found comfort as a teenager, where I proposed to my wife and most recently as the founding inspiration behind The Earthshot Prize," Prince William said recently.

The Prince's four-day solo trip will be his first official visit to South Africa since 2010, and his first to the continent since 2018, when he visited Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya.