Prince William gets inside Formula E car on Prince Louis' eighth birthday

Ben McCaffrey
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:03:44 +0000

The Prince of Wales undertook a solo engagement at the Jaguar TCS Racing headquarters in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, today.

The 43-year-old heir to the throne made the visit to highlight the British Formula E team's commitment to electrification and sustainable innovation, which aligns closely with his environmental advocacy.

It is a cause that is particularly close to his heart, having set up the Earthshot Prize contest in 2020 to champion environmental change in the years to come.

In that respect, William certainly takes after his father, who became Patron of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts in 1977. Meanwhile, his wife, Catherine, is a known lover of nature.

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During today's tour of the state-of-the-art facility, William was greeted by Antonio Felix da Costa, the 2020 Formula E world champion, who invited him to climb into a development car identical to the team's current racing model.

"There's not a lot of room in the legs, is there?" the prince quipped as he settled into the cockpit, his 6ft 3in frame proving somewhat challenging for the rather compact vehicle.

Mr Da Costa guided William through the experience of racing the car, explaining its various features and equipment.

William demonstrated keen enthusiasm for the environmental credentials of Formula E, describing the sport's sustainability achievements as "incredible" and commending the engineers by telling them they were "doing very well".

The prince also displayed his characteristic wit when speaking with young engineers about the rapid pace of technological advancement in the sport.

"At what point does the driver become the weak link?" he joked, before adding: "Get rid of drivers, we'll get an AI person in? We're probably not far off that, are we?"

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Before departing, William wished the team well for their upcoming races in Berlin next month, saying: "I'm very excited to see you racing, I'm going to cheer you guys on."

The duke also took time to speak with graduates who had completed the team's programme, including 22-year-old Phoebe Russell, whom he asked about her path into the male-dominated motorsport industry.

"Was it easy for you to find your way into this world?" William enquired, to which Ms Russell replied: "Not at all."

The visit coincided with the eighth birthday of Willam's youngest son, Louis, who was attending classes at Lambrook School in Windsor, where term had recently resumed.

The youngster has become a firm favourite with the British public through his endearing and mischievous behaviour at official events over the years.

Kensington Palace released a new photo of the prince this morning to mark the special occasion.