Prince William has been given the keys to the city of Rio de Janeiro

William, 43, took a cable car to the top of the Sugarloaf Mountain where he was greeted with a bird's eye view of the city and its famous Christ the Redeemer Statue as he begins a week that will see him stage the Earthshot Prize ceremony and attend the COP30 UN climate change summit in the South American country.

Discussing his motivation for the Earthshot Prize, William - who has children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, with his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales - told HELLO! magazine: "As a father, I think constantly about the world my children will inherit.

"I want them to grow up surrounded by nature, opportunity and a sense of hope about the future. But I also know that unless we act boldly now, that future is at risk.

"The Earthshot Prize is about turning the tide, about proving to our children that we are willing to fight for their tomorrow."

William spoke last month about how his children have driven home about how important it is to "fix the planet" as he marks five years since the launch of the initiative.

He said in a short film shared on his social media channels: "Now, more than ever, is the time to fix the planet.

"I sat under this oak tree five years ago, soon after we launched The Earthshot Prize. The planet, the only home we have, needed our help, as scientists made it clear that we had to make significant changes by 2030.

"Back then, a decade felt a long time. George was seven, Charlotte five and Louis two; the thought of them in 2030 felt a lifetime away.

"But today, as we stand halfway through this critical decade, 2030 feels very real.

"The Earthshot Prize was founded because this decade matters. 2030 is a threshold by which future generations will judge us; it is the point at which our actions, or lack of them, will have shaped forever the trajectory of our planet."