Prince William Steps Out in London for a Beloved Conservation Cause Dating Back to His Post-College Days

Prince William is continuing to support a charity that he's been involved with since 2005 when he had just graduated from college

Prince William is honoring conservation champions.

The Prince of Wales, 41, stepped out at The Savoy in London on Monday to reward some of the trailblazers in protecting wildlife and habitats in Africa at the Tusk Conservation Awards.

William helped launch the Tusk Conservation Awards 11 years ago and has been the patron of the charity Tusk, which aims to safeguard elephants, rhinos and other wildlife since the early days of his public life. It was one of the first patronages that he adopted after graduating from university in 2005.

The awards shine a spotlight on the careers and achievements of conservation heroes and wildlife rangers across Africa. Previous winners have since risen to the top of their fields, scaling their work and amplifying conservation impact across the continent.

Prince William will give a speech highlighting the importance of Tusk's work.

Soon after he arrived at the event, Prince William met the three award winners and key supporters of Tusk. He will then present three awards: the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa, The Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa and the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award. Each winner received a trophy and significant grant funding to continue their work.

Related: Prince William Shares Tweet Praising the 'Dangerous Work' of African Rangers Following Tragedy

Prince William also reunited with Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones, a longtime supporter of Tusk.

As it enters its second decade, the awards have honored 55 conservation leaders from 20 countries, and Tusk continues to capitalize on the extraordinary knowledge and experience of the alumni to support the wider Tusk portfolio. Last year for the 10th anniversary, Prince William attended a symposium bringing together the 2022 award winners, alumni from previous awards and conservation experts.

The awards came a few weeks after Prince William's Earthshot Prize ceremony in Singapore when he helped showcase some of the new and innovative ideas and projects that are aiming to help correct the planet's environmental issues.

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There, Australian TV star Robert Irwin — who was among those handing out prizes in Singapore — told PEOPLE: "It’s hard to put into words just how massive Earthshot is for wildlife conservation, for climate action, for the world. For Prince William, who has such a great platform, to lend his voice, his resources into creating positive change is such a refreshing, wonderful thing to see. I applaud what he is doing."

"I share that with Prince William, and I admire him greatly. He is certainly someone I look up to and I hope I can create the same sort of change that he does," the son of The Crocodile Hunter's Steve Irwin continued. "He is a real beacon to everyone in the conservation field."

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