The Duchess of Cambridge will reveal the 56th Wildlife Photographer of the Year on Tuesday during the first virtual awards ceremony for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year award at the National History Museum in London.
The Duchess, as patron, released a video on Monday where she announced, from the National History Museum, that she would be announcing the winner of the prestigious award on Tuesday evening. She said that she had a look at the photo and called it “truly spectacular.”
Catherine – who has been the museum’s patron since April 2013 – added in the video: “I can’t wait for you to see it.”
She secretly recorded the video that was released on social media earlier on Monday from the National History Museum’s Hintze Hall. The Duchess also took time to praise the unnamed Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s ability to connect people with the natural world through both curiosity and wonder.
Her Royal Highness said: “The skill and creativity of this year’s images provide a moving and fascinating insight into the beauty and vulnerability of life on our planet.
“Thank you to all those who entered for showing us the magic of the natural world, and for reminding us that caring for our environment and its precious biodiversity has never been more important.”
The winning images were selected by international experts from 49,000 submissions from around the globe.
The awards show will be hosted by Chris Packham CBE and Megan McCubbin and broadcast live from Hintze Hall. Photographers will talk about their photos and the beauty of the natural world as the awards are presented. The Duchess will then, of course, reveal the most anticipated award of the night – that of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
According to the museum, “The Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year has been recognising the best nature and wildlife photography every year since 1965. Seen by millions of people around the world, the award-winning images inform and inspire through resonant stories about our planet and encourage people to protect it.”
The livestream will be from the heart of the museum at 20.00 BST. You can watch the livestream here. You can also interact during the ceremony by using the hashtag #WPY56.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will be open to the public starting on 16 October before it begins touring the UK and the globe. It “includes a special new display ‘Anthropocene’, diving deeper into a selection of the winning images which illustrate humanity’s impact on the planet.”
