Britain's Prince William joins cricket stars for an informal game on The Mall in the lead up to the annual Earthshot Prize awards in Mumbai next month, in London, Tuesday.Isabel Infantes/Reuters
Britain’s Prince William turned one of London’s most famous thoroughfares, The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace, into a temporary cricket pitch on Tuesday, where he was joined by some of the game’s biggest names to promote his Earthshot climate prize.
The wide red-paved promenade in the heart of the city is more often seen as the setting for grand royal processions and patriotic flag-waving celebrations.
But on Tuesday, William picked up a cricket bat for an informal game with current and former international players including ex-Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, West Indies legend Brian Lara and England captain Joe Root.
Against the palatial backdrop, William – dressed in a shirt and sweater – clubbed away a series of gentle deliveries from Ganguly and posed for selfies with onlookers.
Prince William poses for a group picture with players as he joins cricket stars for an informal game.Isabel Infantes/Reuters
“He batted alright,” said Ganguly when asked for his verdict on the prince’s skills.
The event was designed to celebrate the ties between Britain and India – two passionate cricketing nations – as India prepares to host the annual summit and awards ceremony of William’s Earthshot Prize next month.
The prize, founded in 2020, honours five winners with £1-million each to scale solutions aimed at repairing the planet.