The Prince of Wales has received a warm welcome in Rio de Janeiro so far, putting the last couple of weeks of difficult royal headlines behind him.
For him, the focus remains firmly on his Earthshot Prize, and representing his father, the King – as Brazil and Britain celebrate 200 years of a shared cooperation.
Rio de Janeiro’s Mayor handed Prince William the keys to the city, declaring the city “belongs” to the future King – at least, for three days.
It was all very formal, but the formalities soon went out the window.
Prince William was stood atop Sugarloaf Mountain seeing the sights of Rio de Janeiro
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I lost count how many selfies the prince stopped to take with excited locals on top of Sugarloaf Mountain.
He seemed genuinely relaxed, even if his security wasn’t, as he was mobbed by royal fans.
It is the Prince of Wales’ first official visit to Brazil, and I was given close access on behalf of the Royal Rota during his trip to the world-famous Copacabana beach
.Again, there were no formalities here.
Royal fans turned up in their hundreds for their chance to catch a glimpse of the future King – Brazil is home to many of the so-called Wales super-fans who spend a lot of their time on social media, praising the Prince and Princess of Wales’ public work.
William got stuck in when he was invited to take part in a beach volleyball game, discarding his shoes and socks and walking bare feet on the sand.
I was terrified a rogue ball would be smacked in my direction by the future King – his competitive side shone through.
Luckily, I remained unscathed, but Prince William’s ironed clothes did not.
This is because he happily dived into the sand on several occasions, ensuring the victory of his team.
Prince William got stuck into beach volleyball in Rio
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GETTYWilliam told them he could “play all day” and I’m sure he would have, if he didn’t have such a busy schedule.
The prince was also invited onto a lifeguard platform to watch a beach rescue demonstration.
He blew the whistle, which summoned a bright red jet ski, and a helicopter, which dropped a giant fishnet to scoop a simulated victim out of the choppy waters.
Today, the prince’s focus is on the United for Wildlife Global Summit.
The organisation was founded by William in 2013 to bring together the private sector, governments and not-for profit organisations, working together to protect wildlife.
He is expected to unveil a new package of support to protect indigenous communities who are on the front line of protecting nature.
Ahead of his keynote speech later today, Prince William said: “Indigenous Peoples and local communities have long been protectors of the world’s most critical ecosystems. But today, their lives are increasingly at risk, and their lands are under mounting threats. If we are serious about tackling the climate crisis and restoring nature, we must stand with those who defend it. Building on the success of our ranger support package, we’re extending this with a new partnership to protect and assist Brazil’s frontline defenders.”
The Prince of Wales even showed of his football skills
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PAPrince William is on a number of Brazil’s national newspaper front pages this morning.
This soft power, some may is, is a reminder of how important the Royal Family can be for Brand-Britain on the world stage.
Watch this space to see if Prince William’s visit reaps rewards for Britain.