Prince William and Emma Watson Share Lighthearted Moments at London Climate Action Week Forum

Prince William, the Prince of Wales, joined actress and activist Emma Watson, actor Benedict Cumberbatch, broadcaster June Sarpong, and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore at a business forum for The Royal Foundation's United for Wildlife on Monday, June 22, 2026, in London. The event, held as part of London Climate Action Week (running through June 28), focused on tackling environmental crime and the illegal wildlife trade across continents.

During the forum, Prince William spoke openly about his Earthshot Prize, which he said gives him optimism and helps him "sleep at night." He acknowledged that after the Earthshot decade ends in 2030, there will be "some sweaty nights" figuring out the next steps. "We have some debating to do. It is going to keep us on our toes," he remarked. The Prince also told Al Gore that the prize "keeps my environmental anxiety at bay because I can actually see some of the things we are doing are bringing change."

Emma Watson, who presented the "Fix Our Climate" award at the inaugural Earthshot ceremony in 2021, shared a humorous anecdote from her Harry Potter days. She recalled seeing "loads of men with long lenses" outside and believed her privacy was being invaded. She sent someone to confront them while she sneaked out through a different exit—only to discover that the photographers were actually trying to capture images of a Red Kite bird, not her.

The Earthshot Prize, inspired by President John F. Kennedy's Moonshot mission, has identified more than 5,600 environmental innovations from 156 countries since 2020. The next awards ceremony is scheduled for Mumbai, India, in 2026. Prince William's appearance came one day after he celebrated his 44th birthday.