Prince William brushes off Andrew scandal as he breaks cover on historic trip

Prince William has kicked off his first ever visit to Brazil, where Rio de Janeiro is hosting his Earthshot Prize Awards later this week by dropping by the city’s famous Sugarloaf Mountain

Prince William left family drama aside as he kicked off his historic trip to Brazil today ahead of his star-studded Earthshot Prize awards.

The Prince of Wales smiled and waved as he visited Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro on the first of three days of celebrating the nominees and eventual winners of his prestigious Earthshot Prize environmental project, which lands in Latin America for the first time.

It comes amid tumultuous period for the royal family, dealing with the consuming alleged sex abuse scandal involving the former prince Andrew. William who supported the King in stripping Andrew’s titles hopes to shift the focus on his tour of Brazil, where he will finish on with a visit to the COP climate summit in Belem, described as ‘the gateway to the Amazon’.

This afternoon, William firmly focused on his environmental project as he ascended Sugarloaf Mountain on a cable car and at the top, was shown a birds eye view of the city by Mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes, who also presented him with the keys to the city.

William’s trip comes as he told how his three children inspire him on his mission to help find climate change solutions for our planet. The future king told how he wants his children to grow up in a world “surrounded by nature, opportunity and a sense of hope about the future”, which spurs him on to shine a light on those “who refuse to give up on our planet”

William, dad to Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10 and Prince Louis, six, launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020, to award five £1 million prizes to entrepreneurs and innovators who have come up with solutions to the world’s biggest environmental issues of our time.

Now at the half way stage of a “decade of action”, William has taken his awards every year from London, to Singapore, Boston in the US and last year in Cape Town, South Africa.

William said: “As a father, I think constantly about the world my children will inherit. I want them to grow up surrounded by nature, opportunity and a sense of hope about the future. But I also know that unless we act boldly now, that future is at risk. The Earthshot Prize is about turning the tide, about proving to our children that we are willing to fight for their tomorrow.”

The prince also spoke about the central focus of the project, saying: “Urgent optimism is the heartbeat of The Earthshot Prize. Speaking to Hello! magazine prior to landing, he said: “It’s the belief that although the challenges we face are immense, the solutions are within reach and we must act with speed and conviction to bring them to life. It’s not blind hope. It’s hope backed by evidence, by ingenuity and by the courage of those who refuse to give up on our planet.”

“I feel deeply honoured to be heading to Brazil, a country of extraordinary natural beauty and cultural vibrancy. Rio, with its energy, its people and its iconic landscapes, feels like the perfect place to celebrate the power of environmental innovation.

“This region is home to some of the world’s most vital ecosystems and some of its most passionate environmental defenders. By hosting the prize in Brazil, we’re shining a light on the solutions emerging from this part of the world and drawing global attention to the urgency and opportunity of climate action.”

This week, Rio will be transformed into Earthshot City, and a three-day Earthshot Summit will culminate in the awards ceremony at the waterfront Museum of Tomorrow.

Brazilian World Cup-winning footballer Cafu and TV star Luciano Huck will form the presenting duo, supported by Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel, Brazil’s most decorated Olympian gymnast Rebeca Andrade and Txai Suruí, a leading voice for Brazil’s Indigenous communities and the environment.

Speaking ahead of a special performance at the awards, Australian superstar Kylie Minogue said: “Brazil – I’m coming back! It’s a privilege and an honour to be part of The Earthshot Prize in Rio, on stage with the people and the ideas that could save our planet.”

Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey has also voiced a trailer for the awards called Meet the World’s True Action Heroes, featuring the 15 finalists and showcasing their solutions.

Brazilian supermodel and environmental campaigner Gisele Bündchen also forms part of this year’s star studded line up, joining the Earthshot Prize Council, which will select this year’s five winners.