(BRAZIL) — Prince William walked in the footsteps of his mother, the late Princess Diana, while visiting Brazil this week.
William, 43, posed in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, more than three decades after Diana did the same while visiting Brazil in 1991.
Diana traveled to Brazil on April 25, 1991, on an official visit with William’s father, King Charles III, then Prince Charles, whom she would go on to divorce five years later.
Describing William’s visit to Rio de Janeiro and the city’s ties to Diana, a Kensington Palace spokesperson told reporters Wednesday, “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.”
In addition to posing in front of the statue, both Diana — who died in 1997 following a car crash — and William took in the view of Rio de Janeiro during their respective visits.
William visited the landmark just hours before hosting the fifth annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony, where he announced the five winners of $1 million grants for environmental innovations.
On Thursday, the prince spoke at the COP30 Leaders Summit in Belem, Brazil, where he said by championing conservation efforts, he is following in the footsteps of his father, the king.
“I have long believed in the power of urgent optimism: the conviction that, even in the face of daunting challenges, we have the ingenuity and determination to make a difference, and to do so now,” William said. “I grew up with my father — the king — talking about the power of nature and the importance of harmony in the natural world, a subject he has championed for over five decades. It is a privilege to also represent him here today, as well as everyone else who has championed this cause for so many years.”
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