NEED TO KNOW
- During his third day in Brazil, Prince William has followed in the footsteps of his late mother, Princess Diana, by posing for photographs at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Christ the Redeemer statue
- Diana’s visit formed part of her royal tour to Brazil in April 1991 with then husband, Prince Charles, as King Charles was known at the time
- A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed that William had been “incredibly struck by the number of people who fondly remember his mother’s visit,” to Rio during his time in the city
Prince William is following in his late mother, Princess Diana’s footsteps.
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During the third day of his royal visit to Rio de Janeiro, William, 43, headed to the magnificent Christ the Redeemer statue high above the oceanside city. The moment echoed his mother standing in the same spot 34 years before, during her 1991 visit to Brazil, accompanied by Prince Charles, as King Charles was then known.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed the moment had been special for William. “The Prince has loved meeting so many people from across Rio over the last few days. He’s been incredibly struck by the number of people who fondly remember his mother’s visit to this beautiful city,” they said.
The moment came as William met the finalists of his Earthshot Prize ahead of the awards ceremony on this evening.
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William spoke to all 15 finalists about their experience of the Earthshot Prize Finalist Programme and their ambitions ahead of the awards. All of those in line for the award have taken part in a year-long Finalist Programme, receiving mentorship, international visibility, pro-bono legal support and strategic communications advice to help accelerate progress and maximize impact.
Tonight, winners will be announced across the five categories: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate. A $1.3 million prize is awarded to the winner in each category annually to support innovative solutions to environmental challenges.
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Ceremony guests will also include Kylie Minogue, Shawn Mendes and Brazilian soccer star Cafú.
Prince William’s exciting trip to Brazil has also included playing beach volleyball at Copacabana Beach, kicking a soccer goal at Maracanã Stadium, and planting some mangroves.
During his second day in Brazil, the prince also received a surprise message from Oscar-winning actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio.
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The Prince of Wales was joined by the actor via video message at the United for Wildlife Summit, an organization that works to counter the illegal trade in wildlife parts and endangered species.
In his message on Tuesday, Nov. 4, DiCaprio, 50, told leaders at the meeting that now was the time to act. “Nature is our most powerful solution,” he said in the video, also published on his Instagram page.
“I urge world leaders to unite with courage and ambition because the world depends on it,” the star added.
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William also made a speech at the event, looking ahead to his Earthshot Prize, which he said “will honor some of the most inspiring people and solutions to our planet’s greatest challenges.”
“Our task here today is clear: We must put a stop to the criminal networks driving environmental crime and destruction. We must stand alongside those who, every day, are standing up and defending nature. We must recognize and celebrate these protectors, not just in words but through our actions. And we must act together,” he said.