Prince William caused a stir outside Buckingham Palace as he stopped traffic for an unexpected game of cricket, swapping royal duties for a spot of sporting fun in a surprising moment in the heart of London.
The Prince of Wales took cricket to The Mall on Tuesday, turning the famous thoroughfare outside Buckingham Palace into a temporary pitch alongside some of the game’s biggest names to champion his Earthshot climate prize.
The landmark avenue is typically reserved for royal processions and major patriotic celebrations.
William picked up a bat for a friendly cricket match, teaming up with former India captain Sourav Ganguly, West Indies legend Brian Lara and England’s Joe Root.
He put his cricket skills to the test against Ganguly’s gentle bowling, dressed in a shirt and sweater, while spectators gathered for selfies with the royal.
"He batted alright," said Ganguly when asked for his verdict on the prince's skills.
The gathering highlighted the strong relationship between Britain and India, both cricket-loving nations, as India prepares to welcome William’s Earthshot Prize summit and awards ceremony next month.
Notably, the preparations are underway for the November 2026 awards ceremony in Mumbai, India.
Prince William’s Earthshot Prize
Established in 2020, the prize awards £1 million ($1.32 million) to each of five winners to help expand solutions designed to protect and restore the planet.
Run by The Earthshot Prize Foundation, its core mission is to find, celebrate, and scale innovative solutions to repair the planet by 2030.
