A surprise on the sofa

Prince William, the Prince of Wales, turned up unannounced on The Graham Norton Show and sat down with Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin and Hannah Waddingham. Norton had been discussing the Earthshot Prize with the three guests when he invited the prince out, and the live audience gasped. Each of the trio has a link to the award: Waddingham hosted the 2023 Earthshot Awards in Singapore, Irwin is a global ambassador, and Blanchett sits on the prize council. The Earthshot special was pre-recorded and airs on BBC One at 22:40 on Friday, 23 October. Singer Jorja Smith performed her song Dancing in the studio before joining the group on the sofa.

Why William started the prize

Explaining the origins of the award, William recalled the gloom that came with years of environmental stories.

“For many years I was hearing stories about environment issues and one thing that struck me was the negativity and doom which got me down.”

From that frustration came the idea of an awards ceremony, built around urgency and optimism at the same time, with the aim of getting people excited. Blanchett described the prize as a "tapestry of solutions", while Irwin said it has helped build a new generation of environmental advocates. The prize recognises work across five areas: nature, air, oceans, waste and climate. Each winner receives £1m.

Personal life and a family favourite

Away from the prize, William talked about his private life and interests. He said his family are devoted viewers of Celebrity Traitors, and that Charlotte and Louis are especially hooked. Looking back, he said he had wanted to become a police officer when he was younger, and later a DJ, although he was not especially good at that. He also said he prefers thought-provoking films to action films, naming Christopher Nolan as his favourite director and praising the psychological depth of The Dark Knight series. The conversation also touched on his long-standing support for Aston Villa.

Mumbai ceremony and the Children's Earthshot

The Earthshot Prize ceremony takes place in Mumbai in November, where William is set to meet Bollywood stars, spend time with cricket figures and preside over a ceremony that awards £5 million in prize money. William has discussed with his children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, a Children's Earthshot that would bring young people into the project. Fifteen teams were selected for two days of presentations and workshops in Mumbai, and winning entries will receive $2,000 (£1,490) to develop their ideas. The initiative invited nine to 17-year-olds to go beyond awareness, and entries ranged from fixing a waterlogged playground to tackling oil and solid-waste pollution in the Godavari River. Jason Knauf, the Earthshot chief executive, said the young finalists show the next generation is already building environmental solutions.

“We can't wait to celebrate them in Mumbai for our biggest edition yet.”

Earlier editions and what follows

The 2025 ceremony drew former Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel and Keir Starmer, then UK prime minister, while Kylie Minogue and Shawn Mendes performed in Rio de Janeiro. Lagos Fashion Week was among the 2025 winners, recognised for reshaping a wasteful sector by making designers show their sustainability commitments. At that ceremony William said the awards had shown that progress can happen. Since its launch the prize has drawn Hollywood names such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Matthew McConaughey, along with David Attenborough, Cate Blanchett and former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern. The event has already been held in London, Singapore, Cape Town, Boston and Rio de Janeiro, and William has committed to the prize until 2030.