Prince of Wales Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
UK’s Prince William has revealed that he once wanted to become a disc jockey before accepting that his future would be shaped by his royal responsibilities.
The Prince of Wales made the revelation during an appearance on the BBC’s The Graham Norton Show on Friday, where he discussed his childhood ambitions, family life and interest in films while promoting the Earthshot Prize.
“I did want to be a policeman when I was younger, I thought I could make a good one. And then I went through a phase of wanting to be a DJ — I wasn’t very good,” William said, according to Reuters.
The 44-year-old royal also spoke about his admiration for filmmaker Christopher Nolan, particularly his The Dark Knight trilogy.
“I’m a big fan of everything Christopher Nolan does. His films are fantastic — The Dark Knight series is psychologically dark and deep and I absolutely love that.
“He takes concepts that are completely out there and makes them incredibly entertaining,” he said.
According to Reuters, William said he and his family enjoy watching the reality television show The Celebrity Traitors, while music and films help him relax.
The appearance brought William onto the famous sofa of The Graham Norton Show alongside actors Cate Blanchett and Hannah Waddingham and conservationist Robert Irwin.
He was there to promote the Earthshot Prize, which he established in 2021 to recognise and fund solutions to environmental challenges.
The annual award gives £1m to each of five winners working on environmental innovations.
Explaining the motivation behind the initiative, William said he wanted to counter the pessimism that often surrounds discussions about environmental problems.
“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.
“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.
“There are some amazing people out there doing things to protect the world,” he added.
The 2026 Earthshot Prize ceremony is scheduled to take place in Mumbai, India, next month.
Tosin Oyediran is a journalist with Punch Newspapers, bringing over eight years of newsroom experience to his coverage of politics, health, advocacy, sports, and entertainment. Known for sharp interviews and human-centered reporting, his work focuses on public accountability, civic issues, and the stories shaping everyday lives.