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

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.

Soon after he arrived at the event, Prince William met the three award winners and key supporters of Tusk. He also reunited with Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones, a longtime supporter of Tusk.

He then presented three awards: Ekwoge Abwe received the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa, Fanny Minesi received the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa and Jealous Mpofu received the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award. Each winner received a trophy and significant grant funding to continue their work.

Prince William gave a speech praising the winners.

"It’s my great pleasure to be here with you all tonight as we recognize and celebrate the work of three remarkable individuals each, who are working tirelessly for a better and brighter future. Their extraordinary commitment, courage and sacrifice inspires us all," he said.

The Prince of Wales said hearing the stories of the winners is a "reminder that Africa, its people and its biodiversity are disproportionately affected by the impacts of a warming planet. Impacts which are, for the most part, not driven by those most affected. Those living in Africa emit just a quarter of the emissions than that of the average global citizen. Yet the African continent is set to incur disproportionate loss and damage from climate change. But we do have the power to change this and the stories we have heard tonight provide both optimism and hope."

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.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

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."