Prince William arrives in Belem for COP30 | Royal | News
Prince William has just arrived in Belem this morning, having flown from Rio de Janeiro on the Prime Minister’s Government jet with Sir Keir Starmer. The pair traveled nearly 2,000 miles to Belem in the Amazon rainforest for COP30, the annual UN climate meeting.
This is the first time William has traveled internationally for a COP summit, as his father the King often attends environmental events. But his son and heir is stepping in on his behalf as William was already in Brazil before the event, and the climate-conscious King did not think it made environmental sense to take another long-haul flight to join him at the COP. The 76-year-old monarch also did not want to risk missing important Remembrance events in his hometown this weekend.
At the event, the prince will deliver a keynote speech to world leaders, marking another first as it will be the first time William will speak on behalf of the King.
William has attended the COP before, joining his father when it was held in Glasgow in 2021, but his father gave the opening speech.
The future king is also expected to hold other conference-related events while in Belem.
It comes after William warned there was “no time for complacency” in addressing environmental issues during his speech at the fifth annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony in Rio last night.
“Now is not the time for complacency,” he told 1,200 guests gathered at the stunning Museum of Tomorrow, located next to the Earthshot Boulevard waterfront. “The choices we make in this decade will define us, but more importantly, they will define the lives of young people. The future belongs to them. They are the ones who will inherit the planet we are fighting to protect.”
Four young climate activists then joined the prince on stage as he described their visions for the future, including a world powered by clean energy, where nothing is wasted and the oceans teem with life.
Despite the warning shot, William’s five-minute speech struck a largely optimistic tone; Earthshot greeted its finalists and winners, new and old.
“Their work is the proof we need that progress is possible. Their stories are the inspiration that gives us courage. And there is so much we can learn from their determination, their vision to scale, and their unwavering belief that we can create a better world. It is no exaggeration to say that they are the world’s true action heroes.”
William’s speech, which was given the royal seal of approval from his eco-warrior father before heading to Brazil, followed the announcement of the five winners of the £1 million environmental prize.
Speaking about the 2025 finalists, whom he met at the summit of the Brazilian landmark Christ the Redeemer earlier on Wednesday, the prince said: “Our finalists are a shining example of how we can build stronger economies, design healthier cities and create better jobs for the next generation.
“We can support the dreamers and innovators who work tirelessly to build a more sustainable world. We can protect our beautiful planet for all life that calls it home.”
Last night’s ceremony was the focal point of William’s three-day trip to Rio. Samba dancers and performers from the city’s annual carnival greeted guests before walking down Earthshot’s famous green carpet, named because everyone is encouraged to dress sustainably.
Kylie Minogue, Shawn Mendes and Anitta were among the star-studded cast to pose for photos on the green carpet before taking to the stage for those seated inside.
William chatted to host Luciano Huck before meeting British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who became the first Prime Minister to attend the awards ceremony since its launch five years ago, and took seats to watch the impressive performance.
Kylie then closed the show with a high-energy mix of her hits Padam, Can’t get you out of my Head and a cover of Kool and the Gang’s Celebration, while William was later seen singing along. After the ceremony, she thanked Kylie, Gilberto Gil and Seu Jorge for their performance.
