Jacinda Ardern has appointed Prince William’s Earthshot Prize conservator

Jacinda Ardern has been appointed as trustee of the prestigious Prince of Wales Prize for the Environment, Kensington Palace has confirmed.

Prince William said it was an honor to welcome the former leader of New Zealand to the Earthshot Prize.

Ardern resigned in January, saying she no longer had “enough in the tank” to lead the country.

The former prime minister said she was “humbled and delighted to work with the Earthshot team”.

Speaking about the appointment, Prince William said Ms. Ardern’s “lifelong commitment to supporting sustainable and environmental solutions” and her experience “will bring a rich mix of fresh thinking to our mission.”

“Four years ago, before the Earthshot Prize had a name, Jacinda was one of the first people I spoke to, and her encouragement and advice were crucial to the prize’s early success.

“I am so grateful to her for joining us as she takes the next steps in her career,” he added.

The Earthshot Prize was established by Prince William to fund projects aimed at saving the planet.

On joining Earthshot’s Board of Trustees, Ms Ardern said since its inception she has believed in “the prize’s ability to encourage and spread not only much-needed innovation, but also optimism”.

The former New Zealand Prime Minister attended the Earthshot Innovation Summit in New York in September 2022 where she spoke on behalf of Prince William, who has taken up residence in the United Kingdom following the death of the late Queen Elizabeth.

Trustee Chair Christiana Figueres said she was “delighted” to welcome Ms. Ardern and has been inspired by her “work as a catalyst in efforts to combat climate change”.

Since her resignation, Ardern is also set to serve as an unpaid special envoy for Christchurch Call, which she co-founded in 2019 to bring tech companies and countries together to combat extremism, according to the Reuters news agency.

Prince William and Lady Ardern have met on numerous occasions, including when the former New Zealand leader visited Kensington Palace during a visit to Britain in July last year.