Britain’s Prince William’s preparations for his Mumbai visit have taken a distinctly Indian turn. The Prince of Wales has spoken about his fascination with India’s love for cricket, his meeting with filmmaker Karan Johar and his excitement about bringing the Earthshot Prize to the city.He said he is looking forward to returning to Mumbai for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, drawn by the city’s energy.In an interview with the BBC, William spoke about meeting Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar, who has been helping the prize establish itself in India. He also promised to watch one of his films after being introduced to the classic Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.William said he was excited about bringing the Earthshot Prize to Mumbai, where the winners of the 2026 edition will be announced on November 17 during a televised awards ceremony. The prize, which supports projects addressing environmental challenges, will be held in India for what organisers describe as its biggest edition yet.
William on meeting Karan Johar
William spoke warmly about meeting filmmaker Karan Johar, who has been helping the Earthshot Prize connect with audiences in India.“Really cool. I mean, he’s, again, an icon and he’s been so helpful in kind of being able to help the Earthshot Prize land well in India. We want to make it a truly Indian Earthshot Prize. It’s the biggest one we’ve done,” he said.Asked whether Johar had introduced him to any of his Bollywood films, William said the filmmaker had been modest about his work.“No, he’s been very modest, but I’m sure as time goes on, he’ll introduce some more films to me,” he said.The interviewer then suggested that William watch Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, the 2001 family drama directed by Johar and popularly known as K3G.“K3G might be easier,” William said, agreeing that the abbreviated title would be easier to remember.“If you meet Karan again, tell him, I’m going to watch your film K3G,” the interviewer told him.“Okay, got it. I’ll mention that to him when I see him,” William replied.
William on his Mumbai visit
In the BBC interview, Prince William offers a spicy confession ahead of his India visit, “My spicy intake is pretty limited. I start sweating. It’s terrible.”The interviewer is quick to remind him that he will need to get used to it, saying, “You need to get a hold on that because you’re going to Mumbai for the Earthshot prize.”Speaking about Mumbai, William said, “So I’m really looking forward to the vibe. It’s one of the most vibrant cities I’ve ever been to. The love of cricket out there is phenomenal. I’ve never known anything like it. And I love my sports. Obviously, football is my number one. But seeing how the Indians love their cricket, this felt like a really fun thing to do to get some of the icons from cricket on the mall in an iconic situation and just kind of get everyone excited about the idea of Earthshot coming to Mumbai.”The prince was also asked about an unusual cricket match played at a shopping mall as part of the build-up to the event.“You’ve shut down the mall and you played a cricket match here. I mean, first time ever?” the interviewer asked.“First time ever. I think that’s happened. Yes. I mean, rugby would be harder. So quite relieved we started with cricket,” William replied.
What is the Earthshot Prize?
Founded by William in 2020, the Earthshot Prize aims to accelerate environmental innovation and support solutions to climate change, pollution, habitat loss and other threats to the planet. Inspired by former US President John F Kennedy’s 1962 Moonshot speech, the initiative aims to help “repair the planet” by 2030.The 2026 finalists include the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, which works with Indigenous communities, ranchers and governments to protect wildlife corridors across the Rocky Mountains, from Wyoming in the United States to north-western Canada.The initiative supports the creation of protected areas and wildlife crossings, including overpasses, underpasses and fencing that help animals cross busy roads safely. It is among 15 finalists competing across the prize’s five categories.