Prince William teams up with Shakira for unlikely collaboration

Prince William and Shakira have joined forces in an unlikely collaboration—and no, it's not a royal remix of Hips Don't Lie. 

• Prince William has recruited Shakira to help him with a very special new project. 
• The Duke of Cambridge first connected with the Columbian superstar in October 2020, bonding over the stresses of parenting and their mutual fears for the environment. 
• In other royal news, is Prince Harry set to repeat one of Princess Diana's biggest regrets?
  

'Prince William ft. Shakira' may not be a phrase you thought you'd ever hear, but it looks like it could become a commonality very soon. 

The Duke of Cambridge is set to write the introduction for an upcoming ecological book, which will include an exclusive passage from the Columbian singer herself. The pair are just two of a litany of conscious A-listers who will contribute to Earthshot: How to Save Our Planet, a detailed guide to Prince William's global environmental competition. 

The highly-anticipated book, which is co-authored by Colin Butfield, is expected to hit shelves in the UK in September. Other VIPs who have offered their words to the project include Sir David Attenborough, former astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, and environmental campaigner Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim. 

The exciting news comes just a day after it was confirmed that Prince Harry will release an "accurate and wholly truthful" royal memoir in late 2022. The Duke of Sussex has reportedly hired a ghostwriter to help him pen the candid tell-all, which will document his extraordinary life from childhood to the present day. 

What is the Earthshot Prize? 

The Earthshot Prize was launched by Prince William and Kate Middleton in October 2020 to highlight the climate emergency and incentivize action to salvage the planet's declining condition. 

The annual competition focuses on five "Earthshots" or key areas, including the protection and restoration of nature, the cleaning of the air, the revival of the oceans, the eradication of waste, and the reparation of the climate. Every year for the next ten years, five prizes worth a whopping £1m will be awarded for the best solutions to these pertinent concerns. The winners will use this money to implement their submission ideas and effect real-life change. 

How did Shakira become involved in the Earthshot Prize? 

Shakira and Prince William's writing partnership hasn't come out of thin air. The Whenever, Wherever singer, who has been appointed a voters’ council member for the Earthshot Prize, first met the Duke on a virtual call last year to discuss the exciting project. The duo shared their candid thoughts on the impending climate emergency, bonding over their mutual concerns for their children's future. 

"All parents want their children to grow and to be in a safe world and a safe environment. It's in our DNA," Shakira said. "You know, my oldest son, Milan, he's seven now, but he began asking questions about the environment when he was about five. Now whenever I brush his teeth and I leave the water tap running for too long, he's the one reminding me [to turn it off]."

Prince William, who has three children with Kate Middleton, agreed with the UNICEF Good Will ambassador's sentiments, adding that he fears for the mental wellbeing of the kids of tomorrow. 

"I am personally really concerned about this but the anxiety levels that we're going to place on future generations as they do worry about this problem and inherit these issues with the environment," he said.