Princess Kate Might Be Heading to South America This Fall After Major Palace Announcement
Fingers crossed.
After missing the past two years of Prince William's Earthshot Prize, it's possible Kate Middleton could be heading on an exciting overseas trip with her husband in November. On Thursday, April 3, the Prince of Wales announced he was bringing his annual environmental prize to South America for the first time, with Brazil chosen as its 2025 host country.
The prince was joined by a number of famous faces—including David Beckham, Heidi Klum, Billy Porter, Hannah Waddingham and 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Erwin's son (and Earthshot Prize Global Ambassador) Robert Irwin—in a YouTube video announcing the Prize was headed to the South American country.
"I think Brazil really epitomizes where the Prize needs to land," the Prince of Wales said in the clip. "The culture of Brazil, the fact we've got COP30 there," he continued, referencing the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference, which is also taking place in the country. The Earthshot Prize was created to discover ground-breaking solutions to repair and regenerate the planet, having awarded more than $25 million to winners since its inception.
While Prince William will definitely be packing his bags for Brazil in November, it's unclear if the Princess of Wales will be joining him at this stage. In 2021, the princess attended the first-ever Earthshot Prize in London (and made headlines in a decade-old Alexander McQueen gown). She went on to travel to Boston with the Prince of Wales for the 2022 awards, but in 2023, the Princess of Wales skipped heading to Singapore for the event, staying home to be with Prince George during an important school exam.
The princess is seen wearing the same gown she wore for a 2011 event at the 2021 Earthshot Prize ceremony.
The princess also stayed in Windsor during the 2024 Earthshot Prize in South Africa due to her cancer diagnosis. It's unlikely the palace will make an announcement regarding her attendance in Brazil until closer to the event; it wasn't until September 2023 that sources noted Princess Kate was expected to stay home for the November Earthshot Prize in Singapore.
Although Kate announced in January that she was in remission and has made multiple public appearances, Kensington Palace has been careful to note that her return to public duties will be gradual. To date, she has not made any trips outside of the U.K. this year, but the princess did travel to Wales for the first time since 2023 in February.
As for Earthshot, Prince William released a statement reading, “2025 marks the midway point of the Earthshot decade and each year we’ve witnessed the remarkable power of human ingenuity in addressing our planet's most pressing challenges. As we bring The Earthshot Prize to Brazil, a nation rich in biodiversity and environmental innovation, we are seeing fresh momentum for new ideas to create healthier and safer ways to live our lives. It is an honor to profile the people making our world a better place for us and for our children."
