Copyright mirror
In the days before heading to Brazil for a whirlwind four-day trip to attend the annual Earthshot Prize awards, Prince William had an emotional heart-to-heart conversation with his father King Charles . The Prince of Wales had “a number of conversations” with the King ahead of his first trip to Brazil , where he will make a keynote speech at Cop30 on behalf of the monarch and the UK Government later this week. According to a royal source , the father and son spoke at length about William’s poignant and emotional address, and had candid conversations about their shared passion for climate change relief. An insider told Hello! Magazine : “The King takes a keen interest in the Earthshot Prize and what the Prince is building. The King has read the Prince's speech… they have been talking about it, and given that it's such a shared topic that they feel extremely passionate about, I'm sure there have been many conversations over recent months." As he left the UK on Sunday, William shared a statement about his trip, saying: "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." He added: "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." Ahead of his arrival in Rio de Janeiro, Stephanie Al-Qaq, the UK's ambassador to Brazil, said: "I think it's maybe an understatement to say that Brazilians are excited about having his Royal Highness here." The royal family are "incredibly well known" in Brazil, she said, adding: "They know his father very well.” "Obviously he's been here for quite a number of visits, but they're very excited about this, because it's next generation, and he comes with a slightly different message to his father and I think we're seeing with the Earthshot Prize, a lot of that really resonates with younger people as well, so they are very excited." William has attended a number of engagements on the first day of his trip, first visiting Sugarloaf Mountain for a birds-eye view of the sights of Rio. He was met by Mayor Eduardo Paes who afforded him the rare honour of presenting him with the keys to the city. This is something normally only given each year to ‘King Momo’, the King of the Rio Carnival. Speaking afterwards, Mayor Paes said he has received a ‘typically informal’ Brazilian welcome, as he was met with crowds of adoring fans. "It's never easy to do with the British royalty, how about the protocols? But, I mean, he was very nice. Amazed with the beauty of the city, and we are very happy to have him here. It's a big honour for the city. Mayor Paes added: "So he's got 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 it will belong to him! It's very symbolic. It shows, first, the connection between Great Britain and Brazil, which is a long relation. And, I mean, it's like people like him here, so we were very glad to have him.”
