Filmmaker Karan Johar recently met Prince William in London ahead of the sixth annual Earthshot Prize Awards Night, which will be held in Mumbai on November 17, 2026. During their conversation, the two discussed this year’s finalists, environmental challenges and the importance of finding sustainable solutions, with Prince William also highlighting the impact of inadequate rainfall on Indian farmers and water supplies.The conversation was shared in a video by the official YouTube channel of The Earthshot Prize. The meeting took place at a building in London overlooking Big Ben, officially known as the Elizabeth Tower.
Prince William talks about India’s rain shortage and farmers
The conversation began on a lighter note as Karan Johar admired the view of Big Ben. Prince William responded by joking that they had “organised the sunshine” for the filmmaker.The discussion soon turned to the weather in India. Prince William noted the lack of adequate rainfall and its consequences for farmers and water resources.“Almost three to four months without any proper rain. The farmers are struggling. Our water supplies are under stress. I think it’s making people more aware that water is a precious resource,” he said.Karan agreed, observing that the issue was increasingly becoming a subject of discussion.
Karan Johar announces Mumbai as host of Earthshot Prize
Prince William discusses India’s rain crisis and farmers’ struggles with Karan Johar. (Photo: Earthshot Prize)
Karan then announced that Mumbai would host this year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony on November 17. He explained that 15 finalists would be competing, with five winners eventually being selected.“You know, Mumbai, India is going to host the Earthshot Prize. We have 15 finalists and then eventually five winners on the special night on the 17th of November. Five of them will win a million pounds each for the cause that they have dedicated their lives to. And that’s the trophy,” Karan said while pointing to the Earthshot trophy.Prince William recalled his previous experiences in Mumbai and expressed his excitement about bringing the awards to India. He also pointed to the country’s significant representation among Earthshot finalists and winners.“I remember very clearly the energy and the vibrancy of Mumbai. And most importantly for the Earthshot is that we’ve had more finalists and more winners from India than any other country. I’m really excited to see what comes out of actually being in India and hosting the awards this year there,” he said.
Karan Johar highlights the business potential of environmental solutions
Karan said India’s strong representation among the finalists made him proud, while also highlighting the commercial potential of several environmental innovations.“The fact that there’s so much Indian representation makes my heart full. But with some of them, there’s also a deep business possibility because I think it combines philanthropy with business incentives so beautifully with the Earthshot Prize,” he said.Prince William agreed, emphasising that many of the solutions being recognised are backed by viable businesses.“Absolutely. These are proper businesses that are going to make investors money,” he said.The pair went on to discuss some of this year’s finalists, including Satellites on Fire and Mahindra Last Mile Mobility, touching upon issues such as wildfires, electric mobility and sustainable solutions.
Karan praises Prince William’s commitment
Karan also praised Prince William for bringing people from around the world together through the Earthshot Prize. He said the initiative stood out because of its ability to unite different communities around a shared environmental goal.“I think what’s very special about the Earthshot Prize is how it’s bringing the world together to fight one common cause. And for that, I have to really, truly congratulate you for supporting and backing this and giving it your heart because I can tell whenever you speak about it, you can manufacture many things, but you can’t manufacture passion,” Karan said.Prince William attributed that passion to the people behind the solutions being recognised by the prize.“It’s that the passion comes from the genuine finalists and winners. You only have to spend 10 minutes talking to them and you realise not only how dedicated they are, but how brilliant their ideas are,” he said.Karan concluded the conversation by extending a welcome to Prince William and the Earthshot Prize on behalf of Mumbai.“Well, on behalf of everyone in Mumbai, we’d kind of like to welcome you and the Earthshot Prize to Mumbai on the 17th of November,” he said.
Karan Johar to host Earthshot Prize Awards Night in Mumbai
Karan Johar has been announced as the first Indian to host The Earthshot Prize Awards Night. The sixth annual ceremony will take place in Mumbai on November 17, marking the prize’s first edition in India.Founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2020, The Earthshot Prize aims to identify, celebrate and help scale innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest environmental challenges. The prize was inspired by US President John F Kennedy’s 1961 Moonshot initiative and has set a goal of accelerating progress towards solving major environmental problems by 2030.The prize recognises solutions across five categories: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World and Fix Our Climate.Karan said hosting the ceremony in Mumbai was a matter of immense pride for him.“To be the first Indian to host The Earthshot Prize Awards Night is a moment of immense pride for me, and to do so in Mumbai makes it all the more meaningful. In cinema, we imagine new worlds. The innovators celebrated by Earthshot are showing us how to build a better one,” he said.He added that Prince William’s vision gave people “not just reasons to hope, but ideas we can act on”, while expressing his desire to welcome the global Earthshot community to Mumbai.Prince William, meanwhile, said the finalists continued to give him optimism about the possibility of addressing environmental challenges.“Every year, our Finalists give me renewed optimism. They show us that, even as the environmental challenges remain urgent, extraordinary people around the world are already proving that progress is possible,” he said.
Earthshot Prize Summit to bring global environmental community together
The 2026 programme will extend beyond the awards ceremony, with the Earthshot Prize Summit taking place across two days. The summit is expected to bring together global leaders, innovators, funders, businesses and communities to build connections and unlock support for environmental solutions.The November 17 ceremony will culminate with the announcement of the five 2026 Earthshot Prize winners. Each winner will receive £1 million to help scale their solution and expand its impact.The previous Earthshot Prize ceremony was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 5, 2025.
