Prince William made royal television history with a surprise appearance on “The Graham Norton Show” Friday.
The Prince of Wales, 44, became the first member of the British royal family to join the BBC talk show’s iconic red sofa, sitting alongside Hollywood stars Cate Blanchett, Hannah Waddingham, Robert Irwin and Jorja Smith.
William used the platform to champion The Earthshot Prize, the environmental award he founded in 2020 to “celebrate and scale the solutions that will repair our planet by 2030.” He explained how frustration with bleak climate coverage drove him to create something more hopeful.
“For many years I was hearing stories about environment issues and one thing that struck me was the negativity and doom which got me down,” he said during the interview. “I thought we could do something more powerful and more optimistic and the idea of an awards’ ceremony came about and we could talk about urgency and optimism together. It’s all about getting excited.”
The future king continued, “There are some amazing people out there doing things to protect the world. We could really highlight what is being done and scale them to the next level to have more impact around the world.”
Away from royal duties, William revealed he unwinds with “music and film.” He named acclaimed director Christopher Nolan as a particular favorite.
“I’m a big fan of everything Christopher Nolan does,” he shared. “His films [are] fantastic – ‘The Dark Knight’ series is psychologically dark and deep, and I absolutely love that.”
William also said he enjoys “something a bit different” from typical blockbusters, though he admitted, “I like action films too.”
The royal father of three offered a rare glimpse into his family’s viewing habits, revealing that his household is currently captivated by a BBC One reality competition.
“I love it, the family love it,” William said about “The Celebrity Traitors,” hosted by Claudia Winkleman. “Charlotte and Louis are obsessed with it. It’s really good telly.”
The appearance comes as William has stepped up his public duties amid his father King Charles’s ongoing cancer treatment. Just days before the Graham Norton taping, the Prince of Wales stood in for the monarch during a high-profile state occasion.
On Tuesday, William welcomed the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, at the start of his state visit to the UK. The Prince of Wales greeted the leader in London before accompanying him to Windsor, where King Charles and Queen Camilla officially received the sultan at the Royal Dais on Datchet Road.
The Earthshot Prize remains central to William’s public work. The initiative seeks to highlight environmental innovators and expand their global reach, a mission the prince has pursued since launching it four years ago.