The Prince and Princess of Wales are set to arrive in India on Monday, 17 November 2026, for a three-day official visit that will take them from Mumbai to New Delhi, with the centrepiece being the sixth and largest Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony hosted in Mumbai. The visit marks their second official trip to India and comes at a defining moment in the UK-India bilateral relationship.

Earthshot Prize: Why Mumbai

The Earthshot Prize, founded by The Prince of Wales, is a global environmental award dedicated to identifying and backing innovative solutions to the world's most pressing environmental crises — including climate change, waste, air pollution, ocean conservation, and biodiversity loss. Each year, five Winners are announced at an annual awards night, with each receiving £1 million. Mumbai hosts the sixth edition, the largest in the prize's history. Notably, India has produced more Earthshot Prize Winners and finalists than any other country, making it a natural and symbolically resonant host.

Programme Highlights

Their Royal Highnesses will undertake a broad schedule of engagements across both cities, spotlighting innovation, sustainability, and youth leadership. The programme, as outlined by the British High Commission, will cover sustainable urban transport, responsible manufacturing, youth-led environmental action, and India's globally influential creative industries. Cultural threads — including cricket, fashion, and cinema — will also feature as a celebration of enduring people-to-people ties between the two nations.

Modi Meeting and UK-India Vision 2035

The Royal couple will conclude the visit in New Delhi with a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit comes against the backdrop of the UK-India Vision 2035 partnership, with climate and clean energy cooperation described as a central pillar. The two countries are also navigating the entry into force of a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signalling deepening economic ties. Harjinder Kang, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for South Asia and Deputy High Commissioner for West India, said: 'Their Royal Highnesses are coming to India at an incredibly exciting moment in the UK-India partnership with the entry into force of our landmark Free Trade Agreement.'

What Officials Said

Ben Mellor, acting British High Commissioner to India, welcomed the visit, saying: 'I am delighted to welcome Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales back to India. When our Prime Ministers met in Mumbai last year, they spoke of building a modern partnership focused on the future. That ambition is increasingly delivering real results through our shared Vision 2035 and growing cooperation across technology, investment, clean energy, education and security.'

Mellor added that the visit was 'a wonderful opportunity to celebrate those deep personal connections between our countries', underscoring that the future of the UK-India partnership 'will not be shaped by our governments alone; it will be shaped by our people.'

Broader Context

This is the second official visit by the Prince and Princess of Wales to India. It arrives at a moment when the bilateral relationship is evolving rapidly — from defence and technology cooperation to clean energy investment and trade. India's outsized showing in the Earthshot Prize field reflects the country's growing global profile in climate innovation, lending additional significance to Mumbai's role as host city. All eyes will be on the New Delhi leg, where the Modi meeting could yield joint statements on the Vision 2035 roadmap.