Prince William Makes Surprise Appearance on The Graham Norton Show for Earthshot Prize Special

The Prince of Wales made a surprise appearance on The Graham Norton Show during a special episode commemorating the Earthshot Awards.

In Friday’s episode, Prince William joined award-winning actors Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin and Hannah Waddingham.

Prince William surprises The Graham Norton Show audience

While discussing his work with the guests, Norton surprised the audience by inviting the prince to join him on the sofa. The arrival was met with cheers and gasps from the crowd.

They discussed the need to combine optimism with urgency when tackling climate change. The Earthshot Prize was established by William to “celebrate and scale up solutions to repair the planet”.

The guests also spoke about Prince William’s long-standing support for Aston Villa and his love of Christopher Nolan films.

What is the Earthshot Prize?

Prince William established the Earthshot Prize in 2020, drawing inspiration from U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot programme. Kennedy’s initiative called for scientists to land astronauts on the Moon and return them safely.

The five Earthshots, or goals, focus on protecting and restoring nature, cleaning the air, restoring the oceans, creating a waste-free world and fixing the climate. Each winner will receive £1 million.

The future king has committed to the prize continuing until 2030. This year’s winners will be announced at a ceremony in Mumbai in November.

Earthshot Prize winners and previous ceremony

Last year’s ceremony was attended by celebrities including former Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel and then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Pop stars Kylie Minogue and Shawn Mendes performed at the ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.

The 2025 winners also included Lagos Fashion Week, which has “transformed one of the world’s most wasteful industries” by requiring designers to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.

At last year’s ceremony, William said the winners were “proof that progress is possible”.

The Graham Norton Show airs on Fridays at 10:40pm on BBC One.