Prince William photographed at iconic spot Diana posed at decades earlier | World News

Prince William posed in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue – the same spot his mother had stood in Rio – on day three of his trip to Brazil.

The usually packed tourist attraction – one of the New Seven Wonders Of The World – had been closed to the public to allow the Prince to meet this year’s 15 Earthshot finalists and learn about their experiences and hopes for the future.

William is making a five-day visit to Brazil, his first to the South American country, to stage his Earthshot Prize, a global environmental competition to find solutions to “repair” the planet.

After posing for a photograph with the finalists on the steps in front of the iconic statue, William then walked to a spot where his mother Diana, Princess of Wales had also previously stopped for a photograph in 1991.

From the summit of Mount Corcovado he quietly looked out at the stunning views of the city hundreds of metres below, partly shrouded in clouds, before heading off for more Earthshot events.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “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.”

The Earthshot award ceremony will take place tonight at Rio’s Museum of Tomorrow, with stars Kylie Minogue and Canadian singer Shawn Mendes among the celebrities performing as five winners are awarded £1million.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will also join William at the awards ceremony, where the Prince will give the keynote speech, before both men gather with world leaders at the global Cop30 climate change summit later this week, being staged in the Amazonian city of Belem.