On a meltingly hot day in London, Prince William arrived at an Earthshot Prize event in the most relatable way possible: by electric bus. The cameras captured it, and the press celebrated it. Yet, the public, who have become increasingly tired of the performance, shrugged, and some rolled their eyes.

Because this is the pattern now, isn’t it? Every time William wants to look environmentally conscious or down-to-earth, we get one of these carefully managed photo opportunities. Critics compared it to the 2019 Flybe episode, when William and Kate were praised for taking a budget flight during the press backlash over Prince Harry and Meghan Sussex’s private jet use. The template is always the same: create an image of sacrifice, simplicity or public duty, then rely on the press to sell it as humility. But the problem is that people can see through it now.

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The Prince of Wales arrived on an electric bus for an event about tackling climate change and protecting the environment, which was held at London’s Guildhall.

On a meltingly hot day, Prince William told delegates, including London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, about the importance of helping to “repair” the planet.

Prince William was marking the impact of his Earthshot Prize, saying the ideas for solving environmental problems made him feel “more optimistic than ever”.

The Earthshot Prize is a 10-year scheme launched in 2020 to find innovative ways of saving the planet, with £1m in funding for five winners each year.

Now the halfway mark has passed, Prince William told his audience there had been tangible achievements from the award-winning projects, including the equivalent of taking four million cars off the road, by cutting 18 million tonnes in emissions.

BBC

The article also notes that Robert Irwin, conservationist and TV presenter, spoke at the event. Earthshot’s chief executive, Jason Knauf, said optimism might seem “jarring” when there is political division about climate challenges. The mayor of London praised William’s involvement as “authentic”.

The Performance of Climate Leadership

Taking a bus for an Earthshot photo-op does not erase the helicopters, private travel, royal estates, luxury holidays or the wider contradiction of a prince fronting an environmental prize while living inside one of the most resource-heavy institutions in Britain. It is not enough to sit on a bus once and call that climate leadership.

Then there is the question of how William treats the people he brings along for the ride. Video from the event shows William arriving on the bus with Robert Irwin and young environmental campaigners, with cameras capturing every moment of the staged arrival. But what happened afterwards told a different story. Footage circulating on X appears to show William leaving in an air-conditioned Range Rover while Irwin and members of his team were left waiting outside in 37°C heat, before eventually walking through London’s streets to reach their transport. And with Earthshot, optics matter because the entire project relies on William looking serious, thoughtful and credible on climate.

It says a lot that these events often need celebrity energy attached to them. Robert Irwin brings warmth, youth and public goodwill. David Beckham did the same before him. William’s team seems to understand that Earthshot needs famous faces because William alone does not generate the same excitement. The celebrity becomes the sparkle around the royal brand. But if you are going to use someone’s star power to boost your image, the least you can do is make sure they are not left sweating on the pavement afterwards.

Final Thoughts

Earthshot should be about serious climate solutions. Instead, too often, it becomes another royal image-management exercise. A prince takes a bus. A celebrity stands beside him. The cameras get their content. The press writes it up as modern leadership. Then the prince disappears into air-conditioned comfort while his guests are left to fend for themselves.

People are not stupid. They know the difference between real environmental commitment and a polished PR performance. And the more William relies on these staged moments, the less convincing they become. The bus was a nice touch. The Range Rover afterwards told the real story.

What do you think? Is Prince William’s Earthshot work genuine environmental leadership, or is it just another PR exercise? And does taking a bus once really make up for the helicopters and private jets? Let us know in the comments.

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