Prince William will travel to Brazil for ‘hugely consequential’ event
Prince William will attend the Cop30 climate summit in Brazil next year, following in the footsteps of his father’s environmental advocacy.
The Prince of Wales is “looking forward to playing a role” at the “hugely consequential” conference in Belem, according to a royal source.
The announcement marks a significant step in William’s growing profile as a global statesman, as he continues to champion environmental causes through initiatives like the Earthshot Prize.
While King Charles’s attendance remains uncertain and would depend on Government request and medical advice, William’s confirmed presence demonstrates the Royal Family’s ongoing commitment to climate action.
The summit, scheduled for November 2025, will coincide with the prince’s fifth annual Earthshot ceremony, which is expected to take place in South America.
“Throughout his trip, the prince spoke about the importance of not losing sight of what needs to be done between now and 2030 – the Earthshot decade,” a royal source said.
The Brazil summit will mark a significant expansion of William’s climate advocacy role, as his previous Cop experience was limited to several events during Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021.
“His commitment to restoring the future of the planet is unwavering and the prince is determined to do all he can to use his platform to spread urgent optimism,” the source added.
As the prince prepares for his future role as monarch, he is increasingly taking on diplomatic responsibilities at the highest level.
During his recent visit to Cape Town, William held talks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson described this as “another example of the evolution of William as a global statesman,” citing his representation of his father in Kuwait and his presence among world leaders at D-Day commemorations.
The prince has established a pattern of high-level meetings, including discussions with Joe Biden in Boston during the 2022 Earthshot Awards.
These diplomatic engagements have been described as the “golden thread” of each Earthshot event, with William emphasising his desire to ensure his environmental message reaches a global audience.
King Charles has been a prominent figure at Cop summits since his first address in Copenhagen in 2009, where he warned global leaders that “the eyes of the world were upon them.”
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At the 2015 Paris summit, he called for a “vast military-style campaign” to fight climate breakdown, urging leaders to commit “trillions, not billions” of dollars.
His commitment to climate action has remained steadfast, despite having to miss Cop27 in 2022 on the advice of then-Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Last year, the King was the only non-Gulf head of state to deliver a keynote speech at the UAE summit, described by a palace source as “a real landmark.”
In his most recent address, he warned that climate change warning signs were being ignored “to the detriment of lives and livelihoods” and that world leaders held “the hope of the world” in their decisions.