Princess Kate To Join Prince William In India For Earthshot Prize, Biggest Overseas Trip Since Cancer Treatment

Britain’s Princess of Wales, Kate, will accompany her husband, Prince William, to India this week for the annual Earthshot Prize awards in Mumbai, marking her most high-profile overseas engagement since undergoing cancer treatment in 2024. The Prince and Princess of Wales are scheduled to undertake a three-day programme in the city, with the awards ceremony set to take place on Tuesday, 17 November. The visit will also be Kate’s first overseas trip alongside William since her illness.

Kate, 44, underwent preventative chemotherapy in 2024 for an undisclosed form of cancer and announced that she was in remission in January 2025. Although she has gradually resumed public engagements, she has spoken about the continuing impact of her illness on her recovery. In an interview published this week in Country Life magazine, she said she had been told in hospital that recovery would not be linear, and that there would be “good days and bad days”.

The Princess had travelled to Italy in May 2026 for a two-day visit focused on early childhood development, but had not previously joined William on an overseas trip since her cancer treatment. The Mumbai visit is therefore a significant step in her gradual return to international royal engagements.

Earthshot Prize To Honour Five Climate Solutions

The visit centres on the sixth edition of the Earthshot Prize, an environmental award founded by William in 2020 to identify and support solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing challenges. Five winners will each receive £1 million to expand the impact of their projects. The prize ceremony is expected to be its largest edition so far, with 15 finalists competing across five categories.

The awards night will follow a two-day summit in Mumbai bringing together environmental leaders, businesses, investors and innovators. The organisers said the event would showcase solutions aimed at addressing climate change, restoring nature, protecting oceans, improving air quality and reducing waste. India was selected as the host country for the 2026 edition, with the organisers noting that it has produced more Earthshot winners and finalists than any other country.

Royal Visit To Include Cricket, Fashion And Cinema

Beyond the awards, William and Kate are expected to attend engagements linked to Indian cricket, fashion and cinema during their Mumbai visit. The ceremony will bring together public figures including cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, actors Alia Bhatt and Rami Malek, and British pop group Take That, which is scheduled to perform in India for the first time. Filmmaker Karan Johar will host the awards night.

A spokesperson for the couple’s office at Kensington Palace said the Earthshot initiative was about “replacing pessimism with possibility”, pointing to the innovation and determination being applied to environmental challenges. The Mumbai visit will combine the Prince’s environmental campaign with a broader programme highlighting cultural and sporting links between India and the United Kingdom.