Prince William Issues Powerful Statement Days After Prince Andrew Was Stripped of Royal Titles

Prince William has expressed his “excitement” ahead of his arrival in Brazil tomorrow morning, where he will present this year’s Earthshot Prize.

Speaking as he departed London on a commercial flight, the heir to the throne 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.”*

During his three-day trip to Rio de Janeiro, William, 43, is expected to refocus public attention away from the controversies surrounding his uncle and back onto his ambitious environmental initiative.

Launched in 2020, the Earthshot Prize aims to find practical and innovative solutions to critical environmental challenges such as climate change, plastic pollution, and wildlife loss. This year’s event is being billed as “the biggest and best Earthshot ever.”

Environmental conservation remains one of Prince William’s core missions, and he will be hoping that the spotlight stays firmly on his engagements in Brazil — rather than on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s dramatic downfall.

Last week, King Charles made the decisive move to strip his younger brother of his prince and Duke of York titles following his continued association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew will also vacate his opulent 30-room Royal Lodge residence and relocate to the King’s private Sandringham Estate.

William was reportedly consulted on his father’s decision to officially remove Andrew’s honours, as both men seek to ensure that the disgraced royal does not detract from the family’s public work and ongoing royal commitments.

READ MORE: King Charles Issues ‘Shocked’ Message After Horror Knife Attack as He’s Spotted at Sandringham

Prince William will arrive in Brazil on Monday via a commercial flight before immediately beginning a packed schedule of engagements at several of Rio de Janeiro’s most famous landmarks, including the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue.

All of his appearances will focus on ongoing efforts to protect Brazil’s remarkable biodiversity and fragile ecosystems.

A spokesperson for the Prince of Wales explained that the trip will highlight “the next generation of climate leaders and why, now more than ever, action is needed to protect and restore the planet.”

They added: “It’s an exciting time to be in Brazil as, across Latin America, environmental leaders are driving bold, innovative approaches to protect and restore vital ecosystems like the Amazon, while creating local jobs and economic opportunities.”

During his visit, William will also attend a summit of his United for Wildlife consortium — an initiative that combats the illegal trafficking of endangered species and wildlife products.

After Wednesday night’s glittering Earthshot Prize ceremony — where five winners will each receive £1 million to help scale up their environmental breakthroughs — Prince William will travel to Belém to attend the United Nations Climate Summit, COP30.

The summit will see world leaders gather in the Amazon gateway city to discuss the latest global strategies for tackling climate change.

William will attend on behalf of his father, King Charles, who has been an outspoken environmental advocate for decades. The two are understood to have held several conversations about the trip, with the King reportedly reviewing his son’s upcoming COP speech. A royal source shared that the monarch was “delighted” to read the address and discuss the visit, describing the environment as “a shared topic that they are so extremely passionate about.”

Jason Knauf, CEO of the Earthshot Prize, praised Brazil as “the perfect place to celebrate amazing environmental innovation and host our biggest and best Earthshot ever.”

He noted that in just five years, the prize’s finalists have collectively raised over £380 million through investment and philanthropy and have helped to protect and restore more than one million hectares of land and sea. “The momentum we’ve built is nothing short of extraordinary,” he added.

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