Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Nov 15: Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton will visit Mumbai on November 17 to attend the 2026 Earthshot Prize awards ceremony. The visit will mark the royal couple's first joint overseas trip since 2022 and their return to India nearly a decade after their previous visit in 2016.
Kensington Palace announced on November 14 that the Prince and Princess of Wales would travel to Mumbai for the environmental awards ceremony and a series of engagements focusing on innovation, sustainability and youth leadership. The visit will also highlight the longstanding ties between India and the United Kingdom.
Launched by Prince William in 2021, the Earthshot Prize recognises innovative solutions to climate change and other environmental challenges. The 2026 edition received around 7,000 nominations from 169 countries, with 15 finalists selected.
India was chosen to host the ceremony in recognition of its technological capabilities, rich biodiversity and young population. Prince William had described the country as a global technology leader and highlighted that it is home to around eight per cent of the world's biodiversity.
The ceremony is expected to be the biggest edition of the Earthshot Prize so far, with around 5,000 attendees, including heads of state, scientists, academics, business leaders, innovators, philanthropists and representatives of indigenous communities.
India will also have representation among the finalists, with Mahindra Last Mile Mobility, a major electric three-wheeler manufacturer, securing a place among the 15 selected initiatives. Other finalists include Argentina-based Satellites on Fire, an artificial intelligence-powered wildfire detection platform, and Yellowstone to Yukon, a conservation initiative focused on connecting a vast mountain landscape.
The visit is also significant for Princess Kate as she gradually resumes international royal engagements following her cancer diagnosis in January 2024. She had announced that she was undergoing chemotherapy and stepped back from several public duties to focus on her treatment and recovery. In early 2025, she announced that her cancer was in remission and gradually returned to royal responsibilities.
The Mumbai visit will mark her first appearance at an Earthshot Prize ceremony since 2022. She had not accompanied Prince William to the subsequent ceremonies in Singapore in 2023, Cape Town in 2024 and Rio de Janeiro in 2025. In May, she undertook a solo international visit to Reggio Emilia in Italy, marking her first overseas trip in more than two years.
Prince William and Kate last visited India together in 2016, when their tour included Mumbai, New Delhi, Kaziranga National Park in Assam and the Taj Mahal in Agra.
The November 17 ceremony will bring together global leaders and environmental innovators to recognise solutions addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and other environmental challenges.