Prince William kicks off three-day visit to Brazil for Earthshot Prize with a tour of Rio de Janeiro’s most spectacular landmarks

The Prince of Wales was treated like a King as he began his three-day state visit to Rio de Janeiro today with a visit to one of Rio de Janeiro’s most famous landmarks.

The heir to the throne took the scenic cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain for a bird’s eye view of the sights.

William, 43, was welcomed by Mayor Eduardo Paes, who did him the honor of handing him the keys to the city. This is normally something only given to ‘King Momo’, the King of the Rio Carnival each year.

The royal arrived on Wednesday to celebrate three days of events leading up to the Earthshot Award, prestigious environmental awards.

His first visit to the Latin American country also celebrates 200 years of diplomatic relations with the UK, which began after Brazil gained independence from Portugal.

The issues that both sides want to emphasize include nature conservation, sustainable development and cultural exchange.

William and Mayor Paes also plan to discuss the importance of holding the Earthshot Prize award ceremony in Brazil, given the work the country is doing to combat the climate crisis.

Rising 396 m (1,299 ft) above Guanabara Bay, the 600-million-year-old Sugarloaf Mountain is a protected natural monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Royal fans in the surrounding crowd clamored for selfies featuring the Prince of Wales

There were smiles everywhere when Prince William arrived at Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he met with the city’s Mayor Eduardo Paes, First Lady Cristine de Souza Assed Paes, and First Daughter Isabela Assed Paes.

The Prince of Wales receives the keys to the city from Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes during the ‘Welcome to Brazil’ event at Sugarloaf Mountain

Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes speaks with Prince William, Prince of Wales, who visited Sugarloaf Mountain on the first day of his visit to Brazil

He was treated like a King as he began his three-day official visit to Rio de Janeiro today by visiting one of Rio de Janeiro’s most famous landmarks.

The Prince of Wales waves on day one of his visit to Brazil for the annual Earthshot Prize Awards

There were plenty of photo opportunities for Prince William and he seemed happy with them

It takes its name from the conical sugar molds shipped during the heyday of Brazil’s sugar cane trade.

William was greeted that morning by excited crowds who cheered to the sounds of local band Trio Julio, who did not know that the royal family would be visiting.

After being introduced by the Mayor to his aides and their families, the two men walked towards the mountain helipad that offered spectacular views of the city.

The Prince soaked in the view for a few minutes while the mayor chatted before handing over the golden keys to the city in a box.

Speaking later, Mayor Paes said he received a ‘typically informal’ welcome in Brazil.

‘It’s never easy doing this with the British royal family, but what about the protocols? But I mean, he was a very nice guy. We are amazed by the beauty of the city and are so happy to have it here. This is a great honor for the city.

‘So he has the keys, he can do whatever he wants in the next 72 hours. The city belongs to Prince William. ‘I’m still the king, but this will belong to him!’

He said the two chatted about a wide range of topics, including recent controversial police ‘purges’ of Rio’s slums.

William poses for photos with royal fans in Rio de Janeiro

On the first day of his trip to Brazil, he was being greeted and greeted by people at Sugarloaf Mountain.

The royal arrived in Brazil on Wednesday to celebrate three days of events leading up to the Earthshot Award, prestigious environmental awards.

Prince William holds a series of environmental events in Rio De Janeiro before attending the fifth annual Earthshot Award awards ceremony

He shook hands with fans who came to give a warm welcome to Rio de Janeiro

William was greeted by local band Trio Julio before showing him around the sights and taking a photo with the famous Christ the Redeemer statue behind him.

William will also tour some of Rio’s iconic beaches, as well as activities to understand the city’s biodiversity

‘He seemed very interested in many things. We talked about politics…my politics, the view of Rio, he asked about the slums. It’s the forest jumping into the city. We’re meeting here with a group of mayors, Sadiq Khan. [the London Mayor] We talked a little bit here about the role of mayors. We talked a lot. ‘

He said William being in Brazil was extremely ‘symbolic’.

‘This is very symbolic. First, it shows the connection between Great Britain and Brazil, a long relationship. And I mean, there are people like him here, so we’re very pleased to have him,” the mayor said.

When asked about the recent security issues and whether William was concerned about it, he said: ‘So, yeah, yeah, I mean I talked a lot, I’m trying to tell him a little bit about the security issue of the city. I mean, it’s obviously a lot deeper than something you can explain in five minutes. But it was a good opportunity to explain. ‘

He added that it means a lot to have Earthshot in Rio.

‘This is a city entirely linked to environmental issues,’ he added.

As he left to take the cable car again, William was mobbed by well-wishers who wanted to shake his hand and take a selfie.

Among them were British tourists Jenny and Paul Galliver, from Sutton Courtney near Oxford.

Prince William speaks with Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes after receiving the key to the city

It may be revealed that William saw the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue, a 125ft Art Deco statue that towers over the area from Corcovado Mountain.

Prince William speaks with First Lady Cristine Paes, First Daughter Isabel Paes, Rio de Janeiro Deputy Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere and Second Lady Victoria de Araujo Cavaliere

‘We were quite shocked but then we saw Sadiq Khan in Christ the Redeemer yesterday,’ Jenny said.

‘It was a pleasant surprise to see him. We’re very royalist.’

The prince also spoke to Thomas Hunter, 48, from Manchester, who said he thought William had done a ‘fantastic job’ with Earthshot. ‘I wanted to tell him that I worked on offshore wind farms,’ he said.

Earthshot is a ten-year initiative offering five prizes of £1 million each year for ten years, designed to highlight and scale up some of the most innovative solutions to the world’s environmental and climate change challenges.

The awards, arguably the most prestigious of their kind in the world, are now halfway through their ten-year campaign.

This year’s finalists were chosen from nearly 2,500 nominations from 72 countries and include a Brazilian start-up restoring forests with the help of artificial intelligence and British company Matter, which has developed a filter that can be installed in washing machines to prevent microplastics from entering the oceans through laundry and wastewater.

William is said to be a very ‘hands-on’ founder, attending meetings, brainstorming, making connections behind the scenes and answering phones.

ENSO, a company that produces environmentally friendly tires for electric cars, has now signed a worldwide agreement with taxi company Uber, as a result of William personally introducing the two.

Knauf said: ‘Earthshot was founded because this decade was critical; This is a window in which we still have time to act, and because Prince William believes this can be a great human success story.

‘The 2025 Earthshot Prize Summit in Rio de Janeiro is more than an event. This is a call to collective action. ‘A celebration of what humanity can achieve when we unite behind urgent optimism and bold solutions.’

Later in the week, the heir to the throne will travel to Belem, the gateway to the Amazon rainforest, to represent his father at the COP30 UN Climate Change Summit for the first time.

Prince William is holding a series of environmental events in Rio De Janeiro before attending the fifth annual Earthshot Award awards ceremony. Here is a photo taken while visiting Sugarloaf Mountain on day one of visiting Brazil.

This means his presence on the international stage has increased significantly and will see him alongside Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who will also attend the Earthshot awards in Rio.

British Ambassador to Brazil Stephanie Al-Qaq said the heir to the throne’s visit comes “at a time rich in symbolism and context” as Britain celebrates 200 years of diplomatic relations with the Latin American country.

He added: ‘We are absolutely delighted that Her Royal Highness will be joining us. ‘There is a huge interest in the British Royal Family here and it appeals to the younger generation.’

William is attending without his wife, the Princess of Wales, who is staying at her home in Windsor with her children, who returned to school after the half-term break.

Speaking as he departed London, William said: ‘As I head to Rio de Janeiro, I am excited for my first visit and to experience Brazil’s vibrant culture, extraordinary biodiversity and, above all, the warmth of its people.

‘As the world’s eyes turn to Brazil this week, there is no better place to celebrate bold climate leadership. Hosting the Earthshot Prize allows us not only to recognize those driving change, but also to be inspired by them. A more sustainable future is within our grasp when we work together with optimism and courage.’