The Princess of Wales may travel to India to accompany Prince William for the 2026 Earthshot Prize Awards
Credit: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Kate Middleton may accompany Prince William to the 2026 Earthshot Prize in India
- It would be the first time she’s attended the awards ceremony since Boston in 2022
- The announcement comes on the heels of Kate’s two-day trip to Reggio Emilia, Italy, which she called “deeply moving and unforgettable”
Following her Italy trip, Kate Middleton may already be looking ahead to her next international venture.
The Princess of Wales is reportedly set to accompany Prince William to India in November for his 2026 Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Mumbai, according to The Mirror.
However, a source tells PEOPLE that plans have not yet been confirmed.
The outlet also reported that the royal couple could make what it described as a “politically sensitive” visit to Delhi during the trip.
“The Prince and Princess of Wales stand ready to assist the country however they can," a royal source told The Mirror. "The plans are in the early stages, but it promises to be an amazing experience.”
Kate, 44, and William, 43, previously traveled to India and Bhutan in 2016, visiting Mumbai, New Delhi, Kaziranga National Park in Assam and the Taj Mahal in Agra.
Credit: Pankaj Nangia/The India Today Group via Getty
This year marks the sixth Earthshot Prize. The awards, created by Prince William, are designed to inspire new environmental ideas and initiatives — and optimism that climate change and other challenges can be combated. Earthshot Prize organizers say India and Mumbai in particular are well-placed to lead the change in Asia and beyond.
Kate attended the first two awards ceremonies, London in 2021 and Boston and 2022, but was not present for the past three years in Singapore, Cape Town, South Africa, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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The Princess of Wales announced in January 2024 that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy treatment when William traveled to Cape Town for the 2024 awards.
“She's doing really well, thanks," he told reporters ahead of the ceremony. "And hopefully, she is watching tonight. So cheering me on.”
“She's been amazing this whole this whole year. I know she will be really keen to see tonight be a success,” William added proudly.
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The announcement about Kate's next trip comes just a day after she returned from a two-day visit to Italy, where she was warmly welcomed by locals and praised for her visits to causes connected to early childhood development and education.
A royal aide told PEOPLE that Kate's Italy visit — her first official international trip since her cancer diagnosis — was a “really significant moment for her.”
“[This visit] is an important step in The Princess’ recovery journey. She takes great joy from this work,” the aide said. “I think it is only right that her first international trip since her illness is one that is focused on an issue that is committed to championing for decades to come, and is a real issue that she wants to shine a spotlight on.”
Credit: Antonio Calanni / POOL / AFP via Getty
Following her trip, Kate shared a personal message about her time in Italy, writing, "Over the past two days in Reggio Emilia, I have seen firsthand the power of nature and creativity that put human connection at the centre of a child’s world.:
"I have had such a deeply moving and unforgettable time here. Thank you to the people of Reggio Emilia for welcoming me into a culture of care with such warmth and generosity," she wrote .
"Our collective work in early childhood must be to protect and nurture the connections that form the foundations of life-long wellbeing," she said and signed, "Grazie di cuore, C."
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