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Prince William hailed the winners of the 2025 Earthshot Prize as they were unveiled during a spectacular ceremony at Rio de Janeiro’s Museum of Tomorrow. The future King was joined by stars, including Kylie Minogue, Shawn Mendes and Anitta, as five £1 million prizes were handed out in five categories by presenters, including F1 champion Sebastian Vettel, Brazilian Olympic gymnast Rebeca Andrade and former Brazil football captain Cafu. This year's winners are: - Protect and Restore Nature: re.green, Brazil - Clean Our Air: The city of Bogotá, Colombia - Revive Our Oceans: The High Seas Treaty (Global) - Build a Waste-Free World: Lagos Fashion Week, Nigeria - Fix Our Climate: Friendship, Bangladesh Speaking on stage, the Prince said: "When I founded The Earthshot Prize in 2020, we had a ten-year goal; to make this the decade in which we transformed our world for the better." "We set out to tackle environmental issues head on and make real, lasting changes that would protect life on Earth. It was a mission driven by the kind of extraordinary optimism we have felt here tonight, from these innovators." "Their work is the proof we need that progress is possible. Their stories are the inspiration that gives us courage. And there’s a great deal we can learn from their determination, their vision for scale, and their unyielding belief that we can create a better world." William opened his speech with a few words in Portuguese, telling guests, "Boa noite e bem-vindos!" (Good evening and welcome). Then, in a touching segment at the end, the Prince was joined on stage by four young people, Hevellin dos Santos, 15, Julia Ferreira, 15, Miguel dos Santos, 12, and Vicente Fontoura, 14, each of whom delivered a line about their hopes for the future. Introducing them, William said: "The choices we make during 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. They are the ones who will continue to drive our momentum forwards. So tonight, it only seems fitting that we should hear about their vision." During a ceremony watched by an estimated 34 million people in Brazil and the UK, Kylie performed a medley of her hits. There was music too, from Shawn Mendes, Grammy Award winner Seu Jorge and legendary Brazilian musician and former culture minister Gilberto Gil duetted with Anitta. Ahead of the awards ceremony, William exclusively told HELLO! that Rio "with its energy, its people and its iconic landscapes, feels like the perfect place to celebrate the power of environmental innovation" "This region is home to some of the world’s most vital ecosystems and some of its most passionate environmental defenders," the Prince added. "By hosting the prize in Brazil, we're shining a light on the solutions emerging from this part of the world and drawing global attention to the urgency and opportunity of climate action."
