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First on the red sofa: William surprises on The Graham Norton Show
Prince William made a surprise appearance on The Graham Norton Show, the first working royal to do so. With Cate Blanchett, Hannah Waddingham and Robert Irwin he talked about the Earthshot Prize, but also Aston Villa and Batman films.
Prince William surprised the studio audience when he appeared on The Graham Norton Show, one of Britain's most popular talk shows. It is the first time a working member of the British royal family has sat on the famous red sofa. The programme was recorded on Thursday and airs on BBC One on Friday evening.
It was a special edition of the programme about the Earthshot Prize, the environmental prize Prince William launched in 2020. The audience was not told in advance that the Prince would be appearing.
Cheers and gasps in the audience
Graham Norton first talked with actress Cate Blanchett, conservationist Robert Irwin and actress Hannah Waddingham about their careers. Then he revealed what they have in common: the Earthshot Prize. Blanchett sits on the Prize Council, Irwin is its Global Ambassador, and Waddingham hosted the awards in Singapore in 2023.
Then Prince William walked into the studio, to cheers and gasps from the audience.
Urgent, but reason for hope
On the sofa the Prince told how the prize came about. He said it is important to meet the climate crisis with both a sense of urgency and optimism, and that no single person or solution can do it alone. The Earthshot Prize aims to bring together innovators, investors and others who want to help.
Cate Blanchett called the prize a "tapestry of solutions". Hannah Waddingham highlighted how finalists get help connecting with people and funding, so their solutions can grow.
Batman films and Aston Villa
The conversation was not only about the environment. The Prince talked about his love for Aston Villa and the films of director Christopher Nolan. "I'm a big fan of everything Christopher Nolan does. The Dark Knight series is psychologically dark and deep and I absolutely love that," he said.
He also revealed that the family watches the reality show Celebrity Traitors. "Charlotte and Louis are obsessed with it," he said.
Singer Jorja Smith closed the programme with a performance. The Earthshot Prize will be awarded in Mumbai, India, from 17 November.