LONDON (AP) — We’ve seen a lot of Prince William lately, and we’re likely to see a lot more of him.
The heir to the British throne will be taking to the streets of Rio de Janeiro this week to promote himself. earthshot awardefforts to find solutions to major environmental problems. Following that, United Nations Climate Summit COP30William also represented his father Charles III and the British government in Brazil.
Prince William’s trip to the Brazilian metropolis, known for its Copacabana beach and annual carnival, is the latest in the monarchy’s efforts to portray the prince as a politician ready to become king.
The scale of the task facing him is underlined by the king’s dramatic decision. stripping my brother Andrew She was banished from her royal title and her hometown of Windsor over her friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Prince William has been consulted about a move to strip Prince Andrew of his honor as allegations against the king’s brother threaten to engulf the royal family.
In recent weeks, Prince William appeared with his father at the COP30 gala event in London, wiping away tears as he spoke to a grieving widow about her husband’s suicide. Interview with actor Eugene Levy In it he discussed his plans for the monarchy.
“He’s sending a lot of signals that he wants to be monarch when the time comes,” said Sally Bedell-Smith, author of “Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life.”
“And given the fact that his father has actually been ill for almost two years, I think it would be irresponsible for them not to pave the way for something that we hope doesn’t happen anytime soon.”
Indeed, Mr. Charles shows little sign of slowing down as he entertains the president of the United States. Donald Trump’s state visit before leaving in september Pray with Pope Leo XIV A month later. But behind his exuberance is the reality that the king, who turns 77 this month, has been undergoing treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer since early 2024.
And the palace, as always, carefully prepares itself.
Plan and plan some more
Craig Prescott, an expert on monarchies and constitutional law at Royal Holloway University in London, said that unlike a prime minister and parliament, which exist in the day-to-day realities of electoral politics, Britain’s hereditary monarchy is thinking years, if not decades, ahead.
He described the engine as being similar to an oil tanker, which takes so long to rotate that small course corrections now can lead to big changes later.
“They always have to have lookouts for icebergs, and in a sense that’s what they’re doing,” Prescott said.
William likes to think big
It is therefore no coincidence that William’s Earthshot Prize arrives in Rio as world leaders prepare to gather in Belém, the gateway to the Amazon basin, for the latest efforts to solve the global climate crisis.
Earthshot, which offers $1 million in prizes in each of five categories, is one of William’s signature big ideas and the type of project he might focus on if he becomes king.
He launched the award in 2020, inspired by U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 “Moonshot” speech, in which he implored Americans to go to the moon by the end of the decade. William’s goal is to accelerate the pace of environmental innovation to address issues such as climate change, ocean plastic pollution and wildlife habitat loss by 2030.
changes on the horizon
Now in its fifth year, Earthshot seems to be changing gears.
Until now, the award has focused primarily on small startups with the hope that their technology will be scaled up to address global problems. Bob Ward, director of policy and communications at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said there was now a growing recognition that policy innovations that bring countries and communities together are critical to addressing these existential issues.
This year’s finalists include: United Nations High Seas Conventionaims to protect the marine environment outside national jurisdiction. Guangzhou, China, a leader in public transportation electrification. and lagos fashion weekpromoting sustainable craft-based clothing manufacturers to combat the waves of fast fashion waste that literally wash up on Africa’s shores.
The winners will be announced Wednesday night after three days of policy discussions and photo opportunities, including William playing volleyball on Copacabana Beach and participating in a soccer penalty shootout at Maracanã Stadium.
William will then attend the COP30 summit of world leaders, where politicians, environmentalists and community groups will discuss how to accelerate efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming. Charles has represented the UK at previous climate change conferences, lending fame to an issue he championed long before many other leaders, but this year his eldest son will take center stage.
For William, a 43-year-old father of three, this is a chance to demonstrate what he discussed with Levy on Apple TV+’s show “The Reluctant Traveler.”
“I think it’s fair to say that change is on my agenda. Change forever,” he told Levy after a tour of Windsor Castle. “I embrace it and I enjoy the change. I’m not afraid of it. That’s the part that excites me.”
William will bring the topic to the COP summit.
“Of course, he will speak as someone of a younger generation, inherited from his father, and will emphasize that this is an enduring problem. And of course it is also true that the people to whom this matters most are the youngest people in the world, and future generations who will have to live longer to deal with this problem now or otherwise,” Ward said.
