Look To The Stars News: Prince William

Prince William Treks With The Homeless

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Prince William joined a group of homeless British teenagers last Friday to climb a peak in northern England to raise awareness for two charities he is patron of.

The Prince was joined by six teenagers from Centrepoint, a charity for homeless young people, as they walked up Helvellyn, a mountain in the Cumbria region of northeastern England. The group was also joined by members of Mountain Rescue, a charity that depends on over 3,000 volunteers to carry out rescues in the mountains of England and Wales.

Later in the day, William attended a function for WellChild, a charity that provides care and support for sick children and their families, while leading research into childhood illness and disease.

Prince William Attends Skill Force Event

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Prince William met Skill Force instructors and students at the Tower of London in his first public engagement as the charity’s Royal Patron on Monday, July 6.

Prince William was met by Lord Freeman, Skill Force’s Chairman of Trustees, Peter Cross, Chief Executive, and James Toomey, Operations Director, for a private briefing about the Charity’s work.

The Prince was introduced to Keri-Anne Payne, Olympic silver medal winner and Skill Force Associate Instructor, and escorted to the South Lawn of the historic White Tower where he watched a ‘command task’ activity by young people from the City of London Academy, Islington, under the leadership of Skill Force Instructor, Keith Howlett.

Following the completion of the task, Prince William joined the students for a debriefing before meeting key staff, Trustees and invited supporters from Artemis Investment Management, the Freemasons’ Grand Charity, the John Lyon’s Charity, and Nationwide Building Society.

HRH Prince William of Wales became Skill Force’s Royal Patron in February and has a keen interest in the charity’s work with young people, which employs the world class training, skills and life experience of ex-service personnel as Instructors providing positive role models and inspiring young people to aim higher.

The organization reaches around 9,500 youth per year through partnerships with 260 schools across England, Scotland, and Wales. Special courses, run by veterans, allow for individualized attention for students. Student participants, often identified as at-risk of discontinuing their education, are particularly benefited from the program, and have responded well to the “alternative” learning opportunities provided. Skill Force estimates that the percentage of youth who are not in education, employment, or training has shrunk to 3-6% of all students — versus the projected 23% that would not pursue the same opportunities in the absence of intervention.

Animated Frog Helps Raise Awareness Of Rainforests

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:30:00 -0000

London’s Picadilly Circus came alive last week when its iconic Coca Cola and McDonalds signs burst into life with the appearance of a new animated rainforest frog. St Trinian’s star Talulah Riley was on hand to launch the new initiative, which is part of an ongoing campaign for the Prince’s Rainforests Project.

The McDonald’s sign gives members of the public the chance to interact with the breathing frog, allowing them to be photographed in front of the screens with the frog seemingly on their hand, head or shoulder, in keeping with the PRP campaign video.

The animated frog was first seen earlier this year in a video featuring Harrison Ford, Prince William and Prince Harry, Robin Williams, Daniel Craig, Kermit The Frog, Joss Stone, footballer Pelé and the Dalai Lama that promoted the protection of rainforests. This was followed by another video featuring Richard Branson and other business leaders.

The PRP’s ‘Prince and the Frog’ campaign was launched in May to build a community of support to put rainforests at the heart of the climate change debate. In a move which signals the support of these two global brands to The Prince of Wales’ project, the new signs will be live from now until the end of the year.

Launching the new signs serves to remind all visitors to London of the important role rainforests play globally in keeping our planet cool, and delivers a message asking people to sign up in support of the project. Through this, The Prince’s Rainforests Project hopes to gather more sign ups and public support for its call for emergency action for the forests to be agreed before the end of this year.

Briony Mathieson, Head of Communications for The Prince’s Rainforests Project comments: “We are delighted that our important message will be on shown in one of London’s top visitor spaces. It is an amazing opportunity to gather increasing support for our campaign.”

Steve Easterbrook, CEO of McDonald’s UK and member of The Prince’s Rainforests Project Steering Group comments: “The Prince’s Rainforests Project is a fantastic way to spread the message about climate change and we’re keen to play our part in this wherever possible. That’s why we’ve agreed to share our landmark Piccadilly sign with the Project and in turn introduce the frog to as many people as possible. People can have fun interacting with the frog on our sign and hopefully many more people will sign up to the campaign as a result.”

Liz Lowe, Citizenship Manager at Coca-Cola Great Britain comments: “Coca-Cola has been lighting up the Piccadilly Circus sign since 1954 and, as one of London’s most iconic landmarks, it’s an engaging way to get this important message out to masses of people – Londoners and visitors alike. We’re delighted to be able to support The Prince’s Rainforests Project in this way.”

Find out more about the campaign here.

Prince Harry Plays Charity Polo In New York

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Aime Pingi

Prince Harry arrived last Friday, May 29th, in the United States of America. For his first journey in New York, Harry chained together visits, inaugurations and matches of polo, and tried to represent to best the British royal family.

Hardly arrived at the Big Apple, Prince Harry – third in the order of succession to the throne – began with a visit to the site of the World Trade Center, destroyed by the events of September 11th, 2001. The Prince then inaugurated with emotion the British Garden of Manhattan – dedicated to 67 British victims of these attacks – by planting symbolically a magnolia within the framework of the campaign of Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York, aiming to make the city more green.

Later, Prince Harry – who is presently undertaking a pilot’s training course in the army after having served in the land forces in Afghanistan – was keen to visit a health center for war veterans to speak to them.

On Saturday, the son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana showed his support for an association helping discriminated young people by attending a class of mathematics of Harlem: "Who is the best in the class? " he said “I was always the worst!”

A royal obstacle race was then organized, featuring Prince Harry and Prince Seesio of Lesotho, both founders of Sentebale, a charity helping the poor children of Africa. Although he came second in that race, Harry was able to catch up a little later during the day, during a match of polo at Governor Island to raise funds for “Sentebale”.

“Prince Seesio and I both lost our mothers when we were very young,” Harry said before the match. “We set up Sentebale in their memory, and because my mother loved this city, it makes this occasion all the more poignant for me.”

The team led by the brother of Prince William competed against that of the Argentine model Nachos Figueras. Celebrities who attended the match included actress Chloë Sevigny, LL Cool J, dressmaker Marc Jacob and Madonna.

Harry’s team, named after the charity, proceeded to defeat the opposing Black Watch team 6-5. Harry assisted on the winning goal in the last seconds, drawing the biggest cheer of the afternoon. It was the second and final day of Harry’s first official visit to the United States.

Not tired for all that, Harry ended his day by a visit to the “Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum of Manhattan,” where he was able to admire the cockpit of the former Concorde of the British company British Airways, as well as air transport dating the Second World War.

Prince Charles Joins Kermit And Friends For The Rainforests

Wed, 06 May 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Prince Charles has launched a new online video to promote the protection of rainforests, and he has called on some of his celebrity friends to help.

The 90-second video features appearances by Harrison Ford, Prince William and Prince Harry, Robin Williams, Daniel Craig, Kermit The Frog, Joss Stone, footballer Pelé and the Dalai Lama. Each star in the film talks of their support for the halting of tropical rainforest deforestation, and is joined on-camera by an animated Argentinean Horned Frog, a symbol of the rainforest.

“One of the Internet’s strengths is that it can enable diverse communities to come together to ensure that everybody’s views and actions can really be made to count,” Prince Charles said in a webcast to launch the video. “Our aim, with your help, is to build an online community to call, from the bottom up, for urgent action to protect the rainforests, without which we will most certainly lose the battle against catastrophic climate change.”

The video was organized by the Prince’s Rainforest Project, an organization established in 2007 to promote awareness tropical deforestation. To view the film, visit the Rainforests SOS website.

Prince William Launches Child Bereavement Campaign

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Royal Prince William recently became patron of the Child Bereavement Charity, an organization supported by the late Princess Diana, and spoke about his mother at the launch of the charity’s ‘Remember on Mother’s Day’ campaign at London’s Sladmore Contemporary Art Gallery on Thursday, March 12.

“Losing a close family member is one of the hardest experiences that anyone can endure,” he said at the event. “Never being able to say the word `mummy’ again in your life sounds like a small thing. However, for many, including me, it’s now really just a word — hollow and evoking memories. I too have felt – and still feel – the emptiness on such a day as Mother’s Day…. For those who have lost the one they love, rest assured they will be watching over you.”

The Remember on Mother’s Day campaign aims to highlight the importance of Mother’s Day for families which have suffered the loss of a child or a mother, and raise awareness of the difficulties faced by families coping with bereavements. It also asks for people to pause and reflect on people finding the period painful them on the day itself.

Last week’s event launched the charity’s advertising campaign and included an exhibition of drawings and paintings by children from local schools. The Prince met with the founders and staff of the charity, as well as with people who were grieving the lose of family members.

“I cannot even begin to say how delighted we are that Prince William has agreed to be our Patron,” said Julia Samuel, Founder Patron of the Child Bereavement Charity. “It will make a huge difference to raising awareness of the charity and its work in supporting families and professionals when the unthinkable happens – when a parent has a child die or when a child is bereaved of a parent or sibling.”

The Child Bereavement Charity provides support and information to all affected by the death of a baby or child or when children are bereaved and accessible training for the professionals who work with these families and children. Established in 1994, the charity’s vision is for all bereaved children and grieving families to have access to relevant support and information from appropriately trained professionals.

Also last week, Prince William attended a dinner for Centrepoint, the UK’s leading homeless youth charity. Alongside BBC television and radio presenter Kirsty Young, The Bill actress Lisa Maxwell and radio DJ Sara Cox, the Prince helped to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the organization, of which he has been a patron since 2005.

“My brother and I were lucky enough to grow up supported by the love and nurturing of our family,” he told guests. “They saw to our education, our health, our well-being, and every other need. So many young people have none of this. It is for them that Centrepoint represents the difference between misery and dejection and a sense of hope and renewed self-confidence.”

Kylie Minogue Leads The Stars In Australian Charity Concerts

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Over 120,000 people attended the Sound Relief fundraising concerts in Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday, March 14, to raise money for victims of devastating fires and floods in Australia.

The concerts have raised over AUS$5 million to go towards the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Fund Appeal and Queensland flood relief efforts, with some of the world’s greatest entertainers turning on performances of a lifetime for a good cause.

Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Taylor Swift, Kings Of Leon, Neil Finn and Crowded House, and Kasey Chambers were just some of the artists that entertained the crowds, which included celebrities such as Toni Collette, David Wenham and Shane Warne. Kylie Minogue appeared at the Melbourne concert with a special rendition of I Still Call Australia Home, and the Sydney concert was closed by Olivia Newton-John and Barry Gibb, who performed Islands In The Stream and a wide range of Bee Gees hits. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin also joined Aussie legend John Farnham on stage for a duet on You’re The Voice.

“I was ready and I think the cause is so great – it’s essential,” said Barry Gibb, who flew in from the US the day before the concert. “I think we all need to be incensed about what happened and I think we need to care and I think we need to make the statement, so [that’s why] we’re here.”

Prince William and Prince Harry also made their first ever Australian address – via video – telling the crowds that they could “only imagine” what victims were going through and asked people not to forget the “amazing efforts” of the emergency services.

“It was a day for the ages, an event like no other that will live in the hearts of many Australians for generations to come,” said concert organizers, who went on to say that it was the biggest paying audience at any Australian concert or charity event ever. Millions more heard the concert on television and radio.

Among other bands to perform on the night were reunions of Hunters And Collectors, Icehouse, Split Enz, and Midnight Oil.

Prince William Becomes Patron Of Disadvantaged Youth

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Isra Shah

Britain’s Prince William has become a Royal Patron to Skill Force, a charity that provides for life skills courses for disadvantaged youth by drawing upon the experiences of Armed Forces Veterans.

The organization reaches around 9,500 youth per year through partnerships with 260 schools across England, Scotland, and Wales. Special courses, run by veterans, allow for individualized attention for students. Student participants, often identified as at-risk of discontinuing their education, are particularly benefitted from the program, and have responded well to the “alternative” learning opportunities provided. Skill Force estimates that the percentage of youth who are not in education, employment, or training has shrunk to 3-6% of all students — versus the projected 23% that would not pursue the same opportunities in the absence of intervention.

In a press release issued by St James Palace, Prince William described his enthusiasm for supporting Skill Force, saying,

“I am delighted to become Patron of Skill Force. Skill Force combines the skills and experience of former members of the Armed Forces and other uniformed services with an innovative and successful approach to unlocking the potential of some of the Country’s most disadvantaged young people.”

William’s choice to support Skill Force, the 13th organization that he patronizes, marks a continued advocacy for causes that advance the interests of youth. The Prince has followed his mother’s footsteps in choosing a charity that aids the homeless, Centrepoint, as one of the causes he supports. However, in addition to carrying on Princess Diana’s legacy of support for the needy, Prince William has chosen to lend his voice to those programs that focus on aiding young people by providing various opportunities, including sports.

Says Lord Freeman, chairman of Skill Force, “Prince William’s interest in encouraging young people to learn self respect and self discipline, and improve their ambitions for achievement in life, are most welcome. We are very honoured and grateful.”

Learn more about the impact of Skill Force on community youth by visiting their homepage.

Royal Princes Become Patrons For New Charity

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Prince William and Prince Harry are the patrons of the new Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund.

The two princes attended a reception earlier this week to formally launch the charity founded in honor of former school friend Henry van Straubenzee, who died in a car crash in 2002.

“Having lost someone so close in similar circumstances, Harry and I understand how important it is to keep their memory alive, there’s no finer way than that Alex and Claire [Henry’s parents] have chosen,” said William at the function, held at The Troubadour Cafe in Earls Court, London. “This is the first charity of which we have both been patrons and it couldn’t have been a better one, as Henry was such a very close friend of ours and because we believe so strongly in the need to alleviate poverty and assist development in African countries.”

The memorial fund intends to equip schools in Uganda with much-needed facilities, and Bupadhengo Primary School in Uganda is the first recipient of help because 18-year-old Henry Van Straubenzee had planned to spend part of his gap year teaching there.

More information about the brand new charity can be found here.

Stars Rally For ICAP World Charity Day

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:30:00 -0000

ICAP (IAP.L), the world’s premier interdealer broker, will hold its 16th annual global Charity Day on Wednesday, 10 December, 2008. On this day, all company revenues will be donated to over 100 charities around the world.

Since the inception of Charity Day in 1993, ICAP has raised over £42 million ($84 million) for many well-deserving and needy causes worldwide. In 2007, the company raised a record £9.2 million ($18.8 million) globally on Charity Day.

As part of the day’s activities, ICAP will host several of the charities’ celebrity spokespeople to rally employee enthusiasm and interact with clients to boost trading volumes. Bill Clinton and Prince William, actors Denzel Washington and Michael J. Fox and musicians Jon Bon Jovi and Elton John are among those who have lent their support at ICAP offices in past years.

Michael Spencer, Group Chief Executive Officer, said, “In difficult economic times it is even more important to support charities. Through ICAP Charity Day, we will be donating to over 100 charities worldwide this year. I want to thank all of our customers, staff and suppliers for all their help in previous years, and I call on them to go the extra mile this year and support Charity Day whole-heartedly. Remember, on Charity Day, Every Deal Counts.”

In New York, ICAP is supporting numerous charities, including: Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, Communities in Schools, Equality Now, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; NY Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Center; Partners In Health; Stop Hunger Now; The Boomer Esiason Foundation; Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance; and the Four Rings Montana Family Foundation.

In Louisville, ICAP is supporting: Brooklawn Child & Family Services; Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; Down Syndrome of Louisville; Make-A-Wish Foundation, Metro United Way, Parent Project for Muscular Dystrophy; The Healing Place; The Home of the Innocents; and The Stan W. Browning Melanoma Foundation.

In Chicago, ICAP is supporting: 826Chicago and LUNGevity Foundation. And in Toronto, ICAP is supporting the Sick Kids Foundation.

A full list of the global beneficiaries can be found at www.icapcharityday.com.

Pink Wonders Where Her Royal Reply Has Gone

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

PETA supporter Pink has revealed that she once wrote to Prince William to challenge him about his views on hunting.

But five years after writing the letter, the star still hasn’t heard back.

“I’m still waiting for a reply to my letter to Prince William,” she said. “He wanted me to play at a concert for his 21st birthday, but I wrote back saying I wouldn’t until he explained why he went hunting.”

The 29-year-old singer has also revealed she wrote a similar letter to the Queen, Prince William’s grandmother.

“I also wrote to the Queen… asking why bearskins couldn’t be made of synthetic material,” she said. “I don’t get that we can’t question people just because of their position in society. I support PETA; I want to make people think about their responsibilities. I don’t care if they have a crown.”

Pink has been extremely outspoken in her support of PETA over the last few years, especially in her efforts to criticize the Australian wool industry over its use of mulesing. In May, 2008, she became an advocate for the RSPCA in Australia.

Royal Princes To Join Bikers In African Trek

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Prince William and Prince Harry are to take part in a grueling 8-day motorbike trek across South Africa later this month.

The Royals – who own their own motorcycles and have been riding for years on their father’s Highgrove estate – will join a group of 80 people in the 2008 Enduro Africa ride, an annual event to raise money for charity.

Each rider in the event has paid US$2,600 to take part, raising a total of US$521,000 for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, UNICEF, and Sentebale.

“The Princes are looking forward to the motorcycle ride that will raise money and the profile of Sentebale, a charity very close to their hearts, and two other major charities in southern Africa,” said a Royal spokesperson.

The 1,500 mile trek takes riders along South Africa’s wild and dramatic east cape, with riders traveling in groups of 10 during the day and camping together at night.

“We’re very honored to have the Princes, especially as they came to us,” said a spokesperson for Enduro Africa. “We’re looking forward to riding with them and, as they are both in the Armed Forces, I’m sure they will have the grit to get through because it’s not easy. There are no road signs and it’s not like riding anywhere in the UK so they will need a guide. They will go through game reserves, tribal areas and wild areas.”

More information about the ride can be found at the Enduro Africa website. Registrations for next year’s ride are now open.

Family Fun Days For Everyone This Weekend

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Two charity events are taking place on opposite sides of the Atlantic this weekend.

New Yorkers who want to get on their bikes can join Full Metal Jacket star Matthew Modine on his Bicycle For A Day campaign. The 49-year-old will be among cyclists pedaling off from lower Manhattan’s South Street Seaport on Saturday, September 20, to raise awareness of the need to reduce carbon emissions and to demonstrate the many simple things that each of us can do everyday to accomplish a cleaner world.

“The idea behind my project Bicycle for a Day is to help people understand that there is something they can do,” he said. “In fact, just one simple thing they can do every day to become part of the solution. If everybody does this one thing, the cumulative effect could be tremendous. The environmental situation is a great opportunity for us all to work together to find solutions. Bicycle for a Day is just that – citizens of the world joining together globally and acting locally.”

Celebrity supporters of the campaign include Heather Graham, John McEnroe, Lara Flynn Boyle, Liev Schreiber and Liam Neeson, and anybody interested in joining the fun can visit www.bicycleforaday.org for more information.

A day of fun of a different kind is set to take place in the UK on September 21. The Day for Heroes Family Fun Day will go off with a bang in the Detling Show Ground near Maidstone on Sunday, and will feature British boyband McFly.

Celebrities, artists and the military are joining forces to give families a day out to remember, whilst raising essential funds for Help for Heroes. Compered by Cheryl Baker and Shaun Williamson, the day will be packed with entertainment and thrills. A parachute display team of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment will open the show with a spectacular entrance. There will also be 20 free funfair rides – including the ultimate experience reverse bungee power shot – and entertainment including military-based attractions such as aircraft simulators, parachute display teams and a challenging inflatable army assault course.

Help for Heroes was launched in October 2007 in response to the desire of ordinary people to do something practical to help our wounded servicemen and women. Celebrity supporters of the charity include TV show hosts Jeremy Clarkson and James May (Top Gear), Prince Harry and Prince William, Simon Cowell, and Sharon Osbourne. David Beckham is also a supporter, saying: “I am incredibly proud and grateful for the commitment and work that our armed forces do for our country. I support the campaign fully.”

For ticket information and more information, visit www.dayforheroes.com.

Royals To Attend James Bond Premiere

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Prince William and Prince Harry will do their best for Her Majesty’s Secret Service when they attend the world premiere of the 22nd James Bond film – Quantum of Solace – in October.

The premiere will take place on October 29 at London’s Odeon Cinema on Leicester Square and – at the request of the princes – will benefit Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion. Joining the two Royals on the red carpet will be the film’s leading actors Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, and Gemma Arterton.

“We are thrilled Prince William and Prince Harry have agreed to attend the world premiere of our latest James Bond film,” said the film’s producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. “[We] are pleased this event will help raise much needed funds to support the servicemen of our country through The Princes’ chosen charities.”

Help for Heroes is a charity aimed at helping injured service personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan launched in October of 2007. It raised £6 million (US$12 million) within its first nine months to help provide a swimming pool and gym complex at the tri-services rehabilitation centre in Surrey, and now continue to raise money to ensure that the wounded get the best practical help and support available.

The Royal British Legion was established in 1921 to protect the interests, welfare and memory of those who are currently serving, or have served, in the Armed Forces and their dependants. Nearly 10.5 million people of all ages are eligible for the Legion’s support, and the call on the charity’s welfare services is increasing.

Quantum of Solace is released internationally on October 31.

Charity Choices Of The Royal Grandchildren

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, Queen Elizabeth’s first granddaughters, are launching into some of the responsibilities that come with their HRH titles – one of those being charity.

It was recently announced that 19-year-old Beatrice will become the first Junior Ambassador for Children In Crisis. Founded in 1993 by her mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, the organization provides education to children of the poorest countries in the belief that it is the essential ingredient in lifting children out of poverty.

Beatrice said, “I always remember the old saying, give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for life. That’s why I am so keen to help this campaign to educate children. We have the most amazing charity.”

She also is interested in Springboard For Children, whose volunteers help kids that have trouble with reading and writing at inner-city schools. Being dyslexic, Beatrice has a personal interest in the struggle.

Her younger sister, Eugenie – now 18 – is looking at Kids Company, which provides support to vulnerable and traumatized inner-city kids with emotional therapy and education, and which her uncle, Prince Charles, is also involved with.

Princes William and Harry, the Queen’s first grandsons, have already garnered quite some experience at fundraising for charities, near and distant. The latest was a charity polo match, held last month as part of William’s 26th birthday celebrations, to benefit The Countryside Foundation For Education – whose outdoor programs educate hundreds of thousands of UK school children each year through farm visits – and the African wildlife protection charity of which William is Royal Patron, Tusk Trust.

Prince Harry, possibly the most eager of the grandchildren, has gone so far as to co-found the Sentebale charity, which benefits underprivileged, disabled and AIDS-orphaned children of Lesotho. Harry not only heavily promotes the endeavor, he dedicates much of his own time and manpower to the charity’s projects.

Prince William Meets Young Charity Crusaders

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Prince William attended a special charity polo game on Saturday and got to meet children who have worked to support WellChild.

The 25-year-old prince – who today becomes the 1000th person to be made Knight of the Garter – was at the annual Chakravarty Cup event at Ham Polo Club in Richmond in the weekend, where he met a group of twelve students aged between 9 and 11 from Bishop Stortfor College, Hornsby House School in South London, and the Catholic School of St Gregory the Great in Cheltenham. The youngsters had the chance to present artwork they had completed to reflect the work of WellChild to the Prince – whose brother, Harry, is the Royal Patron of WellChild – and other guests at the event. William chatted to them and was keen to hear about their work, which ranged from poetry to pastels and other artwork using a variety of techniques.

The schools had each run fundraising and awareness-building campaigns to benefit the charity – an organization in the UK dedicated to the needs of sick children and their families – and had assisted the charity in setting up its Helpline service.

“We are delighted that these children were able to meet Prince William and demonstrate to him the impact of WellChild’s work at such a special event,” said Kedge Martin, Chief Executive of WellChild. “Their enthusiasm to help other children less fortunate than themselves and the artwork they have produced is really inspiring. They were all honored to meet His Royal Highness, and thoroughly enjoyed their time with him.”

The polo game also raised money for the Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, of which Prince William is President.

Help For Heroes Gets Royal Treatment

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:30:27 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Help for Heroes is certainly living up to its name. The charity aimed at helping injured service personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan launched in October of 2007 with an initial goal of raising $12 million. With help from the community, various fundraisers and celebrities, Help for Heroes, has managed to raise a staggering $6 million in little under five months.

“I am incredibly proud and grateful for the commitment and work that our armed forces do for our country”, said soccer star David Beckham. “I support the campaign fully.”

On May 7, City Salute will host an event to benefit Help for Heroes, and has already attracted two notable British citizens – Prince William and Prince Harry.

“As brothers, we are delighted to be supporting the City of London in saluting all those who serve their country,” said Prince William. “As well as raising money for vital rehabilitation facilities, City Salute is an opportunity for us all to celebrate the fantastic contribution made by our servicemen and women and their families. It is also a chance to pay tribute to the casualty evacuation and medical staff of all three Services who protect and care for the wounded so brilliantly and with such tireless dedication.”

Prince Harry, who just returned from serving in Afghanistan, spoke of the real heroes he met on his flight home to England. “There were two injured guys who came back on the plane with us who were essentially comatose throughout the whole way. One had lost two limbs – a left arm and a right leg – and the other was saved by his mate’s body being in the way but took shrapnel to the neck. Those are the heroes. Those were guys who had been blown up by a mine that they had no idea about, serving their country, doing a normal patrol. It is a choke in your throat because you know that it’s happening.”

Other celebrities who are supporting Help for Heroes include musician James Blunt, actor Michael Caine, American Idol’s Simon Cowell, and Sharon Osbourne.

Stars from the sports world, including Chelsea captain John Terry and rugby player Jonny Wilkinson have also been wearing wristbands, and the entire England soccer squad donated their match fees from their Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia to the charity. Look for players from 18 Premiere League teams to be wearing Help for Heroes wristbands on Remembrance Sunday Weekend.

Elton John, P. Diddy and Andrew Lloyd-Webber to Celebrate Life of Princess Diana

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 21:03:21 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

This Sunday, July 1st, music will fill the skies in remembrance of Princess Diana. The event was organised by her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry to celebrate her life, ten years after her death.

Concert For Diana will take place at Wembley Stadium in London, and is showcasing a wide variety of musical styles, from Andrew Lloyd-Webber to P. Diddy. Legends Elton John, Rod Stewart and Tom Jones will be joined by the likes of Joss Stone, Nelly Furtado, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and James Morrison.

Many more performances will take place during the 8-hour-long event, including those by Duran Duran, Take That, Lily Allen and the English National Ballet.

Proceeds of the event go to charities which were supported by the Princess, and to charities of which her sons are now Patrons. These include: The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, Centrepoint, Sentebale, National AIDS Trust, The Leprosy Mission, the Royal Marsden Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital and the English National Ballet.

Tickets cost £45, but those who cannot make it to the concert can view it online at the Concert For Diana website.

2007 Princess Diana Charity Concert Sells Out - For Now

Sat, 30 Dec 2006 20:24:10 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Earlier this month, Princes William and Harry announced that they would hold a charity concert in 2007 to commemorate what would have been their mother’s 46th birthday. Taking place at London’s famous Wembley football stadium, all available tickets for the concert have now sold out.

Performers including Elton John, singer Joss Stone, Diana’s favourite band Duran Duran, Bryan Ferry, the English National Ballet, Andrew Lloyd-Webber and hip-hop artist Pharrell Williams will appear at the event on 1st July.

Speaking for himself and his brother, Prince William said, “We both wanted to put our stamp on it. We want it to represent exactly what our mother would have wanted.”

Proceeds from the concert will benefit a number of charities that received support from the princess during her life, and two of the princes’ own charities, Centrepoint and Sentebale.

Sir Elton John said: "I applaud Princes William and Harry for choosing to honour their mother with this concert. I am absolutely thrilled to be performing at this great event.

“Diana was a personal friend and someone I greatly admired for her tireless and enthusiastic work for charity.”

More tickets for the event are expected to be released in 2007, and will be available from www.concertfordiana.com.

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