London: Britain’s Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine, will conclude their three-day visit to India next week after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, the British government said on Sunday.
William, the heir to the British throne, will arrive in Mumbai on Monday for a joint visit with his wife for the 2026 Earthshot Prize. Following the ceremony on Tuesday, the royal couple will be travelling to New Delhi for a meeting with Modi on Wednesday.
“The future of the UK-India partnership will not be shaped by our governments alone, it will be shaped by our people and this visit is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate those deep personal connections between our countries,” said Ben Mellor, Acting British High Commissioner to India.
“When our Prime Ministers met in Mumbai last year, they spoke of building a modern partnership focused on the future. That ambition is increasingly delivering real results through our shared Vision 2035 and growing cooperation across technology, investment, clean energy, education and security,” he said.
According to The Sunday Times newspaper, the New Delhi leg of the royal visit was finalised on Sunday after the Prime Minister’s schedule was confirmed. He is due to return from the Philippines on Tuesday after attending the ASEAN summit.
Next week marks William and Kate’s second official visit to India, following their visit in April 2016. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the royals will spend time with people across Mumbai, learning more about the innovation, optimism and creativity helping to shape India’s future.
Their programme will showcase a range of sectors and initiatives, from sustainable urban transport and responsible manufacturing to youth-led environmental action and India’s globally influential creative industries.
“Their Royal Highnesses are coming to India at an incredibly exciting moment in the UK-India partnership with the entry into force of our landmark Free Trade Agreement,” said Harjinder Kang, UK’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia and Deputy High Commissioner for West India.
“There are massive opportunities to turn climate action into economic opportunity and deliver long-term growth, with our partnership increasingly focused on practical solutions that support businesses while protecting our planet. I can think of no better place to showcase that than in Mumbai, with the city’s remarkable ability to innovate and scale,” he said.
While the key focus of the visit is the sixth and largest Earthshot Prize Awards, which celebrate climate action innovation, William and Kate are set to undertake a broad programme of engagements “celebrating the enduring connections between the UK and India through cricket, fashion and the cinema”.
“Climate and clean energy cooperation is a central pillar of the UK-India Vision 2035 partnership. Together, the UK and India are demonstrating how climate action, innovation and economic growth can go hand in hand, while developing solutions that can be scaled globally,” the FCDO said.
The Earthshot Prize, founded by the Prince of Wales, is a global environmental prize dedicated to identifying, celebrating and backing innovative solutions the world needs to address its greatest environmental challenges such as climate change, waste, air pollution, ocean conservation and biodiversity loss.
It unveils five winners each year at an annual Awards Night, with each receiving 1 million pounds (around USD 1.3 million).
According to officials, India has produced more Earthshot Prize winners and finalists than any other country since its inception six years ago.
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