At full stretch on Copacabana beach Prince William could certainly be said to be throwing himself into his trip to Brazil.
The heir to the throne was an energetic participant in a game of beach volleyball alongside Olympic star Carolina Solberg as he soaked in the Brazil sun ahead of his Wednesday presentation of the the Earthshot Prize – the world’s most prestigious environmental awards.
As he wrapped up his first day in the country at sunset, William joined the team on the beach, saying: ‘Hi guys, be nice!’
After removing his shoes and socks William played for ten minutes, at times leaping in the air and taking several tumbles on the sand.
Ms Solberg, who runs a local beach volleyball school for disadvantaged children, called the Levante Institute, praised William’s skills saying he had ‘a lot of energy’.
She added: ‘He’s tall. He can hit. I think he could be really good if he practised more. I think he was having fun and was amazing to play with him. It was such a pleasure.’
Earlier it had been hugs and high-fives all round as William celebrated scoring a penalty in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium.
The royal was joined by Brazil legend Cafu for the visit to one of football’s most iconic venues, where they met children learning about the environment and climate change though sport-based organisation Terra FC.
Back on the beach, when asked if the prince could join her team, Solberg said: ‘Yeah, for sure. He’s in!’
They played for almost 10 minutes, with the prince leaping in the air and taking several tumbles on the sand as he attempted to save the ball.
William rotated positions as he showed his prowess at the sport, with scores of wellwishers cheering him on as he got stuck in, and told his teammates that his height helped.
When someone attempted to break him away from the game, he joked: ‘We’ll be here all night you guys, talk amongst yourselves.’
Solberg, who runs a social project called the Levante Institute which transforms the lives of underprivileged children through sport, said that the Prince had taken an interest in it.
But this was not the royal’s only sporty engagement of the day.
When the future King first arrived pitch-side he met a group of volunteers from the project using football to connect with young people, and asked them ‘My team’s Aston Villa, have you heard of them – you don’t have to say yes.’
William is an avid fan of premier league club villa and reacted with surprise when one of the group said they had.
On the football pitch, the prince – sporting trendy white £179 sustainable trainers by Portuguese company Mr Marvis – and the former national defender played against each other in a three-a-side match testing the skills of the schoolboys from across Rio.
Cafu led his side to a 3-2 victory over William and his teammates but the prince quickly moved on to join a training session with a group of young girls holding cups of water as they dribbled, in a bid to improve their balance by not spilling the liquid.
William ended his football drills by taking a penalty against goalie Pedro Enrique, 14, as his teammates chanted his name.
When he scored he was mobbed by youngsters wanting a high-five.
The 14-year-old goalie said afterwards: ‘I was scared and nervous but very excited as he was most famous person take a penalty kick.
‘I didn’t let him score. It was a good penalty.’
Later, at Copacabana beach, William arrived to loud cheers as he was introduced to emergency responders who are responsible for keeping people safe as the sea is notorious for its strong waves, steep drop-offs and treacherous currents.
They are also responsible for environmental preservation work undertaken on the beach.
Rio de Janeiro’s beaches are among the most visited in the world, and drowning prevention and safety are an important focus for the city.
The prince spent time with representatives from the Military Fire Brigade of the State of Rio de Janeiro, which is responsible for lifeguard and emergency services, and watched a sea rescue lifeguard activation.
After walking down the beach, William was shown a variety of lifesaving equipment, from oxygen tanks to bouys and boats.
William took a keen interest in the jetski on the beach, asking ‘how fast does it go?’
He continued: ‘If an emergency happens how quickly are these in the water?’
The prince was told that they are constantly patrolling the waters.
Standing at the top of the lifeguard tower, William blew a whistle to signal that there were was an emergency in the sea in a simulated exercise.
He then watched as the lifeguards ran into the water and went to the aid of three swimmers who had got into difficulty.
One person was carried back to the beach, while a second was rescued by a jetski which arrived at the distress scene in under one minute.
The final casualty was rescued by a helicopter, with two emergency responders jumping into the water before a net was dropped from the chopper carrying the person to the safety of the white sands.
He was then introduced to young people who have taken part in Project Botinho, an annual free summer programme organised by the fire brigade in partnership with local social services.
The initiative offers educational and recreational activities for about 5,000 children and teenagers aged 7-17 across various beaches in the state. It teaches young people about ocean safety, drowning prevention, first aid, and environmental conservation.
William told the emergency responders afterwards: ‘Thank you, I really appreciate it. That’s a lot of work you have to do.’
It comes after the royal delighted audiences as he made a surprise appearance on a Brazilian TV show this week ahead of his Earthshot Prize environmental awards.
Before setting off for three momentous days of royal engagements, the Prince of Wales sent a personalised video message to Luciano Huck, a Brazilian broadcaster.
Dressed in a navy suit and tie with autumnal leaves in the background, William said: ‘Hi Luciano, can’t wait to see you this week.
‘Thank you so much for hosting the Earthshot Prize Awards on Wednesday. Can’t wait to see you there!’
The royal’s arrival in Rio will kick-start three days of engagements leading up to the awards themselves on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, William will fly to Belem, gateway to the Amazon rainforest, to represent his father, King Charles, at the COP30 United Nations climate change conference for the first time.
There, he will give a ‘landmark’ speech alongside the Prime Minister, marking a significant step up for the future king as an international statesman.
It is his first official visit to Latin America and will see William visit some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, highlighting a cause he is deeply passionate about.
Although many engagements cannot be revealed in advance for security reasons, it can be revealed that he will view the world-famous Christ the Redeemer, the 125 foot Art Deco statue that towers over the area from Corcovado Mountain.
And he will also take in some of Rio’s iconic beaches, alongside engagements to understand the biodiversity of the city – and get his chance to show off his skills at the legendary Maracana football stadium.
In addition he will attend a United for Wildlife Global Summit and visit ‘Earthshot Boulevard’ a specially-created open-air experience and hub for public engagement in the city.
This year’s finalists were chosen out of nearly 2,500 nominees from 72 countries and include a Brazilian start-up restoring forests with the help of AI and British company Matter, which has developed a filter than can be fitted to washing machines to stop microplastics entering the oceans through laundry and waste water.
William is attending without his wife, the Princess of Wales, who remains at home in Windsor with their children who are returning to school after the half-term holiday.
Speaking as he departed from London, William said: ‘As I depart for Rio de Janeiro, I am excited for my first visit and to experience Brazil’s vibrant culture, its extraordinary biodiversity, and above all, the warmth of its people.
‘With the world’s eyes turning to Brazil this week, there is no better place to celebrate bold climate leadership. Hosting The Earthshot Prize allows us to not only recognise those driving change, but to be inspired by them. When we work together with optimism and courage, a more sustainable future is within our reach.’
