Prince William makes surprise Graham Norton Show appearance for Earthshot Prize
The Prince of Wales joined Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin and Hannah Waddingham on the BBC chat show's sofa for a special edition marking his environmental award.
At a glance
- Prince William made a surprise appearance on the Graham Norton Show in a special edition marking the Earthshot Prize.
- He joined Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin and Hannah Waddingham to discuss pairing optimism with urgency on climate change.
- The prize, founded in 2020, gives £1m to each of five winners; this year's ceremony is in Mumbai in November.
The Prince of Wales made an unexpected appearance on the Graham Norton Show during a special edition marking the Earthshot Prize, with the episode due to air on BBC One on Friday at 22.40.
He came out to join Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin and Hannah Waddingham on the sofa — guests who are all involved with the environmental award — after Norton surprised the studio audience by inviting him to sit with the group mid-conversation.
The panel discussed climate change, including the need to pair optimism with urgency when tackling it. William founded the prize to "celebrate and scale the solutions that will repair our planet".
The conversation also turned to lighter subjects, including the prince's long-time support for Aston Villa and his fondness for Christopher Nolan's films.
Five goals and £1m awards
William set up the Earthshot Prize in 2020, drawing inspiration from US President John F Kennedy's Moonshot project, which challenged scientists to get astronauts to the Moon and back safely.
Five "Earthshots", or goals, carry an award: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World and Fix Our Climate. Each winner receives £1m, and William has committed himself to the prize until 2030.
Mumbai ceremony in November
This year's winners will be announced at a ceremony in Mumbai in November. Last year's ceremony drew famous faces including former Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel and then-UK prime minister Keir Starmer, while pop stars Kylie Minogue and Shawn Mendes performed at the event in Rio de Janeiro.
The 2025 winners included Lagos Fashion Week, honoured for "transforming one of the world's most wasteful industries" by requiring designers to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. At last year's ceremony, William said the winners were "proof that progress is possible".
Source: BBC Science.
Questions and answers
- When is the Graham Norton Show Earthshot Prize episode on?
- The episode airs on BBC One on Friday at 22.40, with Prince William appearing alongside Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin and Hannah Waddingham.
- What is the Earthshot Prize?
- It is an environmental award founded by Prince William in 2020 and inspired by John F Kennedy's Moonshot project. It has five goals and each winner receives £1m.
- Where will this year's Earthshot Prize winners be announced?
- This year's winners will be announced at a ceremony in Mumbai in November, after last year's event, which was held in Rio de Janeiro.
