Prince William is supported by Zara Tindall, Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer at his beloved Tusk Conservation Awards

Prince William was surrounded by family as he attended his beloved Tusk Conservation Awards, with Zara Tindall and his cousins Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza Spencer turning out to support the royal.

The Prince of Wales, 44, arrived at the event on Wednesday night in a dapper black tuxedo for the glittering ceremony at The Raffles Hotel in central London, where some of Africa’s most inspiring conservationists were being honoured for their efforts to protect endangered wildlife.

And while the Princess of Wales was not among the family members pictured at the event, William was certainly not short of royal support as Zara, 45, joined Princess Diana’s nieces, Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza, both 34, for the star-studded occasion.

The glamorous Spencer twins, who are the daughters of Diana’s younger brother Earl Spencer, made sure to turn heads as they arrived in contrasting metallic gowns, with one opting for shimmering gold and the other dazzling in silver, while both were wearing Roger Vivier shoes. 

The sisters, who have established themselves as fixtures on London’s society scene, posed for photographs as they joined a host of famous faces celebrating the work of those protecting Africa’s wildlife and natural habitats.

Meanwhile, Zara, the daughter of Princess Anne and a cousin of the Prince of Wales, also made an appearance at the prestigious awards, adding to the strong family turnout.

Other high-profile guests included the Marchioness of Bath, comedian John Bishop and Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden, while television presenter and wildlife expert Liz Bonnin took to the stage to host the ceremony.

William, who has long been passionate about protecting the natural world, appeared in good spirits as he mingled with guests and conservationists at the 14th annual awards.

He told the audience the ‘challenges facing our natural world have evolved dramatically’ since the Tusk awards began 13 years ago.

He added that ‘we cannot forget that those who are among the most impacted by our changing climate are also at the forefront of protecting it’ and ‘too many rangers pay the ultimate price on the front line of conservation’.

Discussing the award winners, the prince said: ‘May their achievements inspire us all to build on this momentum and go further.

‘To believe that we can save more endangered species. That we can restore threatened habitats.’

William added: ‘Those working on the front lines of conservation are now contending not just with the illegal wildlife trade, but the growing impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and its ripple effects on the ecosystems and communities that depend on them.

‘This has demanded new approaches, adaptability and an extraordinary capacity for innovation in the face of increasingly complex challenges.’

He said: ‘We know conservation works. In Africa, the mountain gorilla population is on an upward trend. Black rhino numbers are increasing in Kenya, and in southern Africa, elephant populations are also recovering.

‘But we know that conservation is hard and often dangerous. While significant strides are being made, organised crime continues to exploit and traffic protected wildlife.

‘We must be on continual guard to ensure our endangered species are protected, and that hard-won progress is not reversed.’

The prince and Bishop discussed William’s recent appearance on the BBC’s Graham Norton Show to promote his annual global environmental initiative, the Earthshot Prize.

Among those he met was John Kamanga, executive director of the South Rift Association of Landowners in Kenya, an organisation working with local communities to protect wildlife and the landscapes on which they depend.

The Prince has been Royal Patron of Tusk since 2005 and has made the charity’s mission to safeguard Africa’s wildlife and support conservation communities one of the central causes of his public life.

The awards, which William helped establish in 2013, recognise individuals who have dedicated their lives to protecting Africa’s natural heritage, often working in dangerous and challenging conditions.

Since their launch, 61 winners have received more than £2million in grants to support their conservation projects, helping to protect more than 60 species across 23 African countries.

This year’s ceremony will see £225,000 in grants shared across three award categories, including the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa, which honours an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to wildlife protection over many years.

The other two honours are the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa, which recognises an emerging conservation leader, and the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award, which celebrates the courage and dedication of those protecting endangered animals on the front line.

Wednesday’s event also marked a particularly special occasion for two previous winners, John Kamanga, from Kenya, and Amos Gwema, from Zimbabwe, who were finally able to celebrate their achievements in person after receiving their awards virtually during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

The pair were invited to London to join this year’s celebrations, six years after their original victories, with William pictured speaking to Mr Kamanga during the evening.

The Prince’s commitment to conservation stretches back more than two decades and has seen him champion efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade and preserve endangered species.

Alongside his work with Tusk, he founded United for Wildlife in 2013 to tackle wildlife trafficking and later launched his ambitious Earthshot Prize, which rewards innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.