Prince William was accused of breaking royal protocol shortly after landing in Rio de Janeiro on November 3.

The 43-year-old Prince of Wales arrived in Brazil for a five-day visit—his first official trip to the country—to host his Earthshot Prize in Rio and participate in the COP30 global climate summit in Belem, located in the Amazon region.

Upon arrival, William received a grand reception, being presented with the keys to the city—an honour typically reserved for Rio’s carnival king.

A Busy First Day in Brazil

The royal wasted no time diving into activities. He took a cable car ride to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, where he enjoyed breathtaking views of Rio and the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue. He was accompanied by the city’s mayor, Eduardo Paes, who greeted him warmly.

Later, William joined locals in a barefoot volleyball match on one of Brazil’s iconic beaches and even scored a penalty kick during a brief football session at the legendary Maracanã Stadium.

Mayor Paes commented: “He was very nice, amazed with the beauty of the city, and we are very happy to have him here. It’s a big honour for the city.”

Jokingly, he added: “So he’s got the keys—he can do whatever he wants in the next 72 hours. The city belongs to Prince William. I’m still the king, but it will belong to him!”

The mayor also noted: “I spoke a lot, I tried to explain to him the security issue of the city a little bit. Obviously, it’s a much deeper topic than something you can explain in five minutes, but it was a good opportunity to discuss.”