Prince William’s visit to the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue is particularly poignant.
In April 1991, his mother Princess Diana visited the world-famous landmark, during an official trip to Brazil with the then Prince Charles.
More than 30 years have passed since that day, and much has changed.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996.
Tragically, Prince William’s mother was killed in a car crash in August 1997.
Prince William’s visit to the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue is particularly poignant.
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Charles is now King, and William is now the prince of Wales - a husband and father with three young children.
Yet, the Royal Family’s global appeal has remained a strong thread throughout the turbulent decades.
Most, if not all, of Brazil’s major media outlets have been following the prince’s first official visit to the country with keen interest.
For the second day running, William’s picture is on a number of the country’s front pages.
Locals have patiently waited for hours ahead of the prince’s public engagements to try and catch a glimpse of him.
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Many locals, in addition, have patiently waited for hours ahead of the prince’s public engagements to try and catch a glimpse of him.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson told GB News: “The prince has loved meeting so many people from across Rio over the last few days. He’s been incredibly struck by the number of people who fondly remember his mother’s visit to this beautiful city.”
After posing for a photo with the latest cohort of Earthshot Prize finalists, the prince posed for a bittersweet photo of his own.
Standing in the exact spot his mother did 34 years before, he stared down the camera lens, looking up at one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
One day, Prince William will be Head of State in fifteen countries.
Princess Diana visited Rio in 1991.
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For now, his focus is on championing new solutions to repair the planet with “urgency and optimism”.
Tonight, he will attend the fifth annual Earthshot Prize awards, with high-profile guests from across the Commonwealth.
The awards are the easy part; the challenge is scaling up the solutions, which is thought to require millions of pounds of private investment.
The prince is expected to use his influence and convening power to try and make that happen.
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