- Prince William was joined by David Beckham to celebrate the arrival of a vital new helicopter for London’s Air Ambulance charity on Tuesday, Oct.1
- William wrote “Back in the middle” on the helicopter while Beckham added “Thank you. Fly Safe Love David Beckham”
- Later on Friday, William is scheduled to visit the 2023 Earthshot Prize finalist ENSO, which creates eco-friendly tires specifically designed for electric vehicles and has a unique deal with Uber
Prince William is celebrating key milestones for two causes central to his royal duties.
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Prince of Wales started the day alongside former soccer star David Beckham as they celebrated the purchase of a vital new helicopter for London’s Air Ambulance charity.
It marked the successful conclusion of its “Up Against Time” fundraising drive, which brought in more than $21 million to fund two new H135 helicopters.
William, 42 showed Beckham, 49, around the cockpit of the bright red craft at RAF Northolt, northwest London. William had invited Beckham to be a part of the Omaze campaign for the appeal which helped raise around $6 million.
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As key supporters of the appeal, William and Beckham signed one of the two new helicopters: William wrote, “Back in the middle,” while Beckham penned, “Thank you. Fly Safe Love David Beckham.” William also posed for selfies with some of the crew members.
Afterward, it had been planned for William to watch as one of the helicopters took off on a flight above the airfield, but the quintessential wet British weather made the planned trip impossible.
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The “Up Against Time” appeal was launched in 2021 after it became clear that London’s Air Ambulance Charity’s MD902 helicopters were approaching the end of their operational lifespan, posing a potential impact on thousands of patients annually.
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Thanks to the success of the fundraising campaign the medical team can continue providing critical, life-saving services across London, according to William’s office at Kensington Palace.
During his visit, William met the medical and pilot crews who will be using the new helicopters, learning how the upgraded aircraft will enhance their work. He also had the opportunity to meet with Airbus engineers involved in the design and development of the helicopters, along with donors and supporters who contributed to the success of the “Up Against Time” campaign.
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On Aug. 9, the royal took to social media to celebrate the campaign’s success, calling it “Fantastic news!” in a post on X.
“This is going to have a life-saving impact,” he added.
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On Sept. 13, Prince William made a private visit to the opening of the $66 million Airbus Helicopters headquarters and factory at London’s Oxford Airport, where he got to see an Airbus H135 helicopter. The outing came a few days after the former air ambulance helicopter pilot said he’d “love to fly again” while visiting Wales. (Like father, like son — his eldest son, Prince George, 11, is reportedly already taking flying lessons!)
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Following those two stops, William is scheduled to visit the 2023 Earthshot Prize finalist ENSO, a contender in the “Clean Our Air” category. ENSO creates eco-friendly tires specifically designed for electric vehicles that are more sustainable and reduce harmful tire pollution, leading to cleaner air, according to Kensington Palace.
The London-based startup is announcing a strategic partnership with Uber across both the U.S. and the U.K. — the first partnership that Uber has struck with an Earthshot Prize finalist and part of a wider partnership with The Earthshot Prize, Prince William’s global environmental initiative that he founded in 2020.
In addition to Clean Our Air (the category in which ENSO was a finalist last year), Earthshot’s other four categories are Protect and Restore Nature, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World and Fix Our Climate.
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“The Earthshot Prize spotlights climate solutions from around the world, helping speed them to scale to reach their potential and create true impact,” The Earthshot Prize CEO Hannah Jones said in a statement. “We are proud that the partnership between Uber and 2023 Earthshot finalist ENSO, with its groundbreaking solution in the transportation space, provides a perfect example of how the Prize can use its convening power to connect businesses with innovators to find new ways to address the challenges we collectively face.”
During the visit to ENSO, Prince William will meet with founder and CEO Gunnlaugur Erlendsson and hear how the business has developed and scaled since he last visited in October 2023 before taking part in a discussion about the new strategic partnership between Uber and ENSO with Jones and Jill Hazelbaker, Uber’s chief marketing officer and SVP communications and public policy.
“Innovation is in Uber’s DNA, and much more is needed to tackle the climate crisis,” Hazelbaker said in a statement. “That’s why we’re partnering with The Earthshot Prize to offer Uber’s platform as a launchpad for groundbreaking solutions globally — especially those working to accelerate an all-electric future for our planet. We’re thrilled to work with ENSO to help them grow while making it easier for Uber drivers to go electric around the world.”
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Before the day ends, Prince William will help fit an ENSO tire on an electric vehicle, according to his office at Kensington Palace.
In addition to its partnership with Uber, ENSO announced in June that it is developing a $500 million carbon-neutral tire factory in the U.S. as part of its continued expansion. The factory will be operational by 2027, directly employ over 600 people and produce more than 5 million EV tires annually.
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Prince William revealed the 15 finalists for the 2024 Earthshot Prize on Sept. 24 at the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit in New York City, co-hosted by The Earthshot Prize and Bloomberg Philanthropies. The winners, who will compete for a $1.3 million prize to scale their ventures, will be announced at a gala in Cape Town, South Africa on Nov. 6.
“These solutions are some of the most exciting, innovative and impactful we’ve seen, and the people behind them are true inspirations,” Prince William said in a video announcing the finalists. “I know you’re as passionate as I am about making a difference to our planet, and we can’t wait to share their stories with you.”
William’s exciting news for two causes he supports comes on the heels of his wife, Kate Middleton, resuming meetings after announcing Sept. 9 she had completed chemotherapy. The Princess of Wales, 42, took part in a meeting at Windsor Castle on Sept. 17 and then, a week later, another on Sept. 24 at the same location — and plans for her annual Christmas carol concert, Together At Christmas, are underway for December.
