During his royal visit to Brazil, Prince William, the Prince of Wales, stood at the feet of Rio de Janeiro’s towering Christ the Redeemer statue; the same sacred site where his late mother, Princess Diana, was photographed 34 years ago. The moment, both personal and symbolic, underscored how faith and environmental stewardship remain intertwined in the global mission he now leads.
According to People magazine, the visit came during William’s third day in Brazil, ahead of the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, his initiative to honor innovation that “protects and restores nature, cleans our air, revives our oceans, builds a waste-free world, and fixes our climate.” The $1.3 million prize in each of these five categories supports projects that bring “hope and action to heal the planet,” William said during the summit.
A spokesperson from Kensington Palace told People that the Prince was “incredibly struck by the number of people who fondly remember his mother’s visit to this beautiful city.” Princess Diana’s 1991 stop in Rio, then with Prince Charles, was remembered for her grace and empathy — qualities William seemed to channel as he met with the 15 Earthshot Prize finalists at the foot of the Christ statue.
William spoke to each finalist about their efforts to protect the planet, sharing that “our task here today is clear: We must put a stop to the criminal networks driving environmental crime and destruction. We must stand alongside those who, every day, are standing up and defending nature.” His call to action, according to People, echoed a moral responsibility that resonates deeply with Catholic teaching on the stewardship of creation.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds believers that “humanity’s dominion over creation is not absolute; it is limited by concern for the quality of life of our neighbor, including generations to come” (CCC 2415). In that spirit, William’s Earthshot initiative can be viewed as a secular complement to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’, which urges people of all faiths to “hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”
The Prince’s time in Brazil has included community visits that reflect both service and solidarity — planting mangroves, playing beach volleyball with young Brazilians, and even kicking a soccer goal at the famed Maracanã Stadium. Earlier in the week, he joined the United for Wildlife Summit, where environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio urged leaders to act boldly because, as he said, “Nature is our most powerful solution.”
For Catholics, William’s quiet moment before the Redeemer — arms outstretched over Rio — served as more than a royal photo opportunity. It was a reminder that creation itself points back to the Creator, and that caring for the Earth is both a scientific and spiritual calling.
As the world awaits the next generation of Earthshot laureates, William’s journey up Corcovado Mountain offered a moving image of continuity: a son honoring his mother’s compassion, a prince standing beneath the Savior’s open arms, and a world invited once again to see environmental renewal as an act of love.
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