On November 7, anti-monarchy protesters ambushed Prince William during his final day in South Africa, as he visited Kalk Bay in Cape Town. The Prince of Wales, who was in the country for the 2024 Earthshot Awards, was met by two individuals shouting, “Go home now,” as they held a sign that read, “William, you have no sovereignty in our country.”
This was the only sign of unrest during the prince’s four-day visit, which included attending the prestigious Earthshot Awards ceremony on the evening of November 6. Despite the protest, Prince William remained unfazed and continued with his scheduled engagements.
As chants of opposition echoed through the crowd, supporters of the future king rallied in response, with some cheering, “William, we love you,” in an attempt to drown out the protest. The prince was visiting local fishermen to highlight the work of Abalobi, a 2023 Earthshot finalist, when the protest occurred.
The protestors, who were later joined by a group of local fishermen, expressed their frustration with the event's organization. One protester shouted that the prince should “hand back what your grandmother stole from us,” referencing historical grievances related to the British monarchy's colonial past.
Additionally, local fishermen voiced their discontent over not being invited to meet the prince, as they claimed only Abalobi, an organization representing sustainable fishing practices, had been chosen to participate. Rifiek Isaac, deputy chair of a small-scale fishing cooperative, expressed anger at the exclusion, stating, “We would have loved to meet the Prince, it’s not about him. We don’t like that company using our Harbour. We fish here.”
Despite the protests, the prince continued his visit, focusing on the contributions of Abalobi and the positive impact of the Earthshot Prize initiatives.
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