UK's Prince William begins climate-focused trip to South Africa

CAPE TOWN - Britain's Prince William began a four-day trip to South Africa on Monday by meeting young environmentalists and playing rugby with local schoolchildren in Cape Town.

The trip is centred on William's annual Earthshot Prize, which on Wednesday will be awarded to five winners who will receive 1 million pounds ($1.3 million) each to pursue innovative projects addressing environmental issues.

In his first engagement the 42-year-old prince met with 120 young environmentalists from Africa and Asia who are taking part in a new programme for youth leaders that accompanies the prize.

He then went to a secondary school in the Ocean View township where he participated in a rugby coaching session with The Atlas Foundation, a charity working to address child poverty that was founded by former English rugby player Jason Leonard.

"Let's tackle the prince!" several boys yelled gleefully as they grabbed him. Retired South Africa World Cup winner Tendai Mtawarira, nicknamed "The Beast", also took part in the coaching session.

William launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020, inspired by a visit to Namibia. Its name is a nod to former U.S. President John F. Kennedy's ambitious "moonshot" project which led to the 1969 lunar landing.

"By the end of the week, I want The Earthshot Prize to have provided a platform to all those innovators bringing about change for their communities, encouraged potential investors to speed African solutions to scale and inspired young people across Africa who are engaged in climate issues," he said in a statement ahead of the visit.

The Prince Of Wales is making the trip alone as his wife Kate is still managing a return to work after finishing a course of preventative chemotherapy for cancer.

During his visit, his first to South Africa since 2010, William will also attend a global wildlife summit and will meet President Cyril Ramaphosa.

($1 = 0.7717 pounds)

(Reporting by Phil Noble and Esa Alexander; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Gareth Jones)