Prince William Arrives in Singapore for Earthshot Prize Awards

Prince William, the Prince of Wales, has arrived in Singapore ahead of the third annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony.

The city-state welcomed him warmly as he expressed his delight at being back amidst the backdrop of the world's largest indoor waterfall.

On his first day, Prince William visited the Jewel in the Changi Airport to officially commence the countdown to the awards ceremony.

Royal well-wishers couldn't contain their excitement as the prince, dressed in a dark navy suit, accepted gifts, shook hands, and even posed for selfies with the crowd.

During his interaction with the crowds, an adorable moment occurred when an eight-month-old baby girl caught Prince William's attention.

She grabbed onto his finger and looked up at him, bringing a smile to his face.

Unfazed by the playful interaction, the prince continued to engage with the tiny tot's parents.

Singaporean mother Lina Soho and her two children presented Prince William with gifts, including a portrait of him on a horse.

Little Albain Costa, an eight-month-old baby on a layover trip from New Caledonia to France, will always have the claim to fame of interacting with Prince William.

Amna Yaacob, who was among the crowd waiting for Prince William, expressed her excitement, saying she had no idea he was coming.

She described it as a dream come true and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Prince William himself shared his feelings about the enthusiastic welcome from the locals, stating how fantastic it was to be back in Singapore after 11 years.

He praised Singapore's bold vision to be a leader in environmental innovation and encouraged everyone to take inspiration from the fantastic work being done in the country.

Later in the evening, Prince William was presented with a tembusu tree in the surrounding gardens by the CEO of Jewel, James Font.

This marked the first time a tree had been planted at Jewel to commemorate the visit of a foreign dignitary.

Meanwhile, Prince William's wife, Princess Catherine, was absent from the event due to an important reason.

Their eldest son, Prince George, had exams that coincided with the awards ceremony.

It is understood that Princess Catherine stayed in the UK to support him as he sat entrance exams for his future private school.

Prince George, currently in year 6 at Lambrook School in Berkshire, is likely to be taking the ICB common pre-tests, which consist of sections in Mathematics, English, Reading Comprehension and Grammar, Verbal Reasoning, and Nonverbal Reasoning.

Although he won't move schools until the age of 13, entrance exams are typically taken three years in advance.

Among the potential school options for Prince George are Eaton College in Windsor, attended by his father, or Marlborough College in Wiltshire, his mother's alma mater.

Princess Catherine revealed during an outing with Prince William in Cardiff last month that she has been helping their eldest child prepare for his upcoming exams, acknowledging the challenges of studying math.

As Prince William continues his visit to Singapore for the Earthshot Prize Awards, the absence of Princess Catherine highlights the importance of supporting their children's education and future endeavors.