The Prince of Wales has said he ‘thinks constantly about the world his children will inherit’.
Prince William, 43, who dressed in a smart jumper and light blue shirt, was speaking out to celebrate his Earthshot Prize ahead of this year’s awards in Brazil.
Opening up about his worries as a parent to Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, William explained why his environmental project is ‘needed more than ever’.
His appearance on the cover comes amid an unprecedented time for the British Royal Family after Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday night that the former Duke of York, 65, will now only be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
In a bombshell statement, the Palace coldly announced the ‘censures [were] deemed necessary’ amid the growing controversy surrounding his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, with whom Andrew lied about cutting ties.
Within hours, the former royal was erased from the Roll of the Peerage, and it was revealed he could face a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office.
And Prince William, who was left ‘seething’ by his uncle at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral, is said to have fully supported the King’s decision to strip Andrew of his Prince title and evict him from Royal Lodge.
In his interview with Hello!, William said: ‘As a father, I think constantly about the world my children will inherit.
The Prince of Wales has posed for the cover of Hello! magazine to celebrate his Earthshot Prize
Prince William pictured with his wife, the Princess of Wales, and their children Prince George (centre), Princess Charlotte (right) and Prince Louis (left)
‘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 Prince added: ‘The Earthshot Prize is about turning the tide – about proving to our children that we are willing to fight for their tomorrow.’
William featured on the magazine’s first-ever ‘green issue’ to speak about the progress of his £50million Earthshot Prize – aimed at discovering solutions to the planet’s biggest environmental issues.
‘Urgent optimism is the heartbeat of The Earthshot Prize,’ 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.’
The royal, who founded the initiative in 2020, will travel to Rio to attend this year’s awards and stay on to join world leaders at Cop30 global climate change summit in Belem in the Amazon.
Among the stars performing at the awards are pop princess Kylie Minogue, Canadian singer Shawn Mendes and Brazilian music star and former minister of culture Gilberto Gil.
‘Rio, with its energy, its people and its iconic landscapes, feels like the perfect place to celebrate the power of environmental innovation,’ he said.
Prince William fully supported the King’s decision to strip Andrew (pictured) of his Prince title and evict him from Royal Lodge
When the Earthshot finalists for 2025 were announced a few weeks ago, William said the ‘urgent optimism’ at the heart of his environmental project feels ‘unstoppable’.
He founded the prize to recognise and scale up ideas to help ‘repair’ the planet, with the five winning finalists each awarded £1million to further develop their ideas.
The awards show on November 5 will be hosted by Brazilian broadcaster Luciano Huck, and among the award presenters will be sports stars Marcos Evangelista de Morais, better known as Cafu, the former Brazilian defender; Sebastian Vettel, a four-time Formula One world champion; and Txai Surui, a leading voice for Brazil’s Indigenous communities and the environment.
Hello!’s Editor Jessica Callan said: ‘We are huge supporters of the Prince of Wales and his Earthshot Prize and turning our logo green for the very first time is a symbolic and exciting moment for HELLO!
‘It reflects our deep commitment to championing sustainability and using our platform to celebrate those who are making a real difference.
‘The future King’s determination to change the world is incredibly inspiring, and we are honoured that he has spoken to HELLO! This issue is about hope, positivity, action and inspiration – values that are at the heart of both The Earthshot Prize and HELLO! itself.’
On Sunday night, William said he was looking forward to visiting Brazil – just days after Rio de Janeiro drug raids left more than 130 dead.
Speaking as he departed from London, William said: ‘As I depart for Rio de Janeiro, I am excited for my first visit and to experience Brazil’s vibrant culture, its extraordinary biodiversity, and above all, the warmth of its people.
‘With the world’s eyes turning to Brazil this week, there is no better place to celebrate bold climate leadership. Hosting The Earthshot Prize allows us to not only recognise those driving change, but to be inspired by them.
‘When we work together with optimism and courage, a more sustainable future is within our reach.’
William’s pre-flight comments came as thousands of police and military personnel were drafted into Rio de Janeiro for the visit.
There are fears ‘violence could erupt’ after at least 132 people were killed during Rio police’s deadliest ever operation against criminal gangs.
But after the ‘unprecedented bloodshed’ – which saw 2,500 police and soldiers on Tuesday storming the favelas of Penha and Complexo de Alemao – security is being beefed up.
To read the full feature go to: hellomagazine.com – this issue of HELLO! is out today
