Prince William Announces Major Overseas Visit for 2026

Prince William wearing a tux and Kate Middleton wearing a blue gown in Mumbai — (Image credit: Getty Images)

All things 2016 are back these days, and that extends to royal visits, too. On Tuesday, February 17, Kensington Palace announced that the 2026 Earthshot Prize will be held in Mumbai, India—a city where Prince William and Princess Kate visited ahead of their fifth wedding anniversary in April 2016.

Founded by the Prince of Wales, The Earthshot Prize was created to" inspire a decade of urgent optimism and environmental action." The 2026 Prize will honor five environmental leaders, with each winning £1 million to accelerate the impact of their solutions.

While an official date for the ceremony hasn't been announced, the awards ceremony has been held in October, November and December in past years. It's unclear if Princess Kate will join Prince William for the trip to India, considering she attended the first two Earthshot Prize events but skipped the 2023, 2024 and 2025 ceremonies.

Princess Kate kicking a soccer ball wearing a dress with Prince William watching behind her — Princess Kate is pictured playing soccer in Mumbai, India in 2016

Prince William wearing a tux, Princess Kate wearing a blue beaded gown on a red carpet — Prince William and Princess Kate attend a Bollywood-inspired charity event in Mumbai in 2016.

Regardless of whether Kate travels to Mumbai, the trip will bring back fond memories for the couple. The Prince and Princess of Wales, then known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, took an official tour of India and Bhutan in April 2016, making a stop in Mumbai.

During their trip to the city, the couple attended a Bollywood-themed charity gala, met with children from local charities and tried their hand at cricket and soccer, with Kate even kicking a ball in heels.

India is home to more Earthshot Prize winners and finalists than any other country, and Prince William noted how India's huge population of young people brings a sense of inspiration.

Prince William playing cricket — Prince William plays cricket on his 2016 visit to Mumbai.

"We must continue to look to the future with urgency and optimism, which is why I am delighted that Mumbai will host The Earthshot Prize 2026," he said in a statement. "India is one of the world’s most important forces for climate and nature. What succeeds in India at scale has the power to inspire progress everywhere."

He continued, "With the largest population of young people in the world, there is a real sense of momentum—to not only imagine a better future, but to inspire change and make it a reality. Together we can rise to meet our greatest challenge, to repair and restore our planet by 2030."

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.