The Prince of Wales has been snapped exchanging an awkward three-way handshake with Sir Keir Starmer and the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
As the trio emerged in front of the press, Prince William and Lula swapped positions for the handshake.
The Prime Minister appeared to be dragged into the mix by the Brazilian President, who then grabbed William’s hand, placing it in a mixed-up three-way handshake.
The trio then walked off from the stage, with the Prince of Wales appearing somewhat embarrassed from the exchange.
Sir Keir Starmer, President Lula and Prince William exchanged an awkward three-way handshake
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William had been on the Cop30 stage earlier, delivering an urgent plea for environmental action to world leaders.
The Prince of Wales flew to Belem with Sir Keir on Thursday afternoon, having attended his Earthshot Prize ceremony in Rio de Janeiro the previous evening.
The royal’s speech was crafted jointly with his father, King Charles, marking a significant collaboration between the two generations on climate advocacy.
Speaking in the Amazon rainforest’s heart, the father of three opened by acknowledging Brazil’s environmental leadership spanning decades.
The trio held the handshake in front of the world’s press
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Addressing world leaders and delegates, William said there is a “tough” road ahead as an opportunity to “grow our economies, develop new technologies and create secure and affordable energy systems”.
The Prince of Wales stated: “We must ask ourselves, what legacy do we wish to leave?
“Because the impact of all our choices will be felt by us all, around the world, in the safety of their homes, the stability of their livelihoods, and the health of the natural world that sustains us all.
“The road ahead will be tough. We must transform the way we power our lives, produce our goods, move from place to place, and care for our land. But this is not just a challenge.
Prince William initially swapped spots with President Lula before the handshake
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“It is a profound opportunity. An opportunity to build cleaner economies, restore nature, and improve the health and wellbeing of communities everywhere.
“It is an opportunity to grow our economies, develop new technologies and create secure and affordable energy systems that are central to our future prosperity and security.
“Action on climate not only protects future generations but is a powerful engine to create better jobs and lives today.”
The prince highlighted that nearly 800 million hectares of Indigenous lands remain legally unprotected. He emphasised that securing land rights enables these communities to prevent destructive projects whilst developing sustainable livelihoods.
The trio are at the Cop30 summit in Belem, Brazil
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He urged delegates to acknowledge Indigenous peoples as climate leaders, deserving of protected rights, amplified voices, and respected knowledge.
The prince had met Indigenous representatives at Earthshot and Royal Foundation events in Rio, praising their dedication to environmental protection.
William acknowledged major achievements made since the Paris Agreement, including the UK-led Cop26 pledge to reverse forest destruction by 2030, endorsed by over 140 nations.
He noted the Indigenous forest tenure commitment had surpassed its £1.7billion target, reaching £1.86billion to strengthen forest communities.
“Let us be the generation that turned the tide – not for applause, but for the quiet gratitude of those yet to be born,” the Prince of Wales declared as he urged leaders to seize the Cop30 moment with courage.