In pictures: Stunning snaps of Prince William retracing Diana's steps in Brazil

The images looked very similar to those taken of Princess Diana
Emily Towers

Prince William has retraced Princess Diana’s steps during his widely-publicised Brazil trip this week.

The Prince of Wales, 43, has visited Brazil this week for the Earthshot Prize Awards, which took place in Rio de Janeiro on November 5.

During the trip so far, William has showcased his football and volleyball skills as he met with locals.

The prince also went on a boat tour of mangrove swamps to learn more about how they are conserved.

Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants and are adapted to live in harsh coastal conditions. They store carbon, protect biodiversity, and shield coastlines from storms.

Prince William in Rio de Janeiro, posing in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue
William’s photos looked very similar to those taken of Princess Diana (Credit: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock)

Prince William recreates Princess Diana snaps in Brazil

Although his trip appeared to insightful, informative and interesting, the highlight has to be William’s moving snaps at the top of Mount Corcovado where Christ the Redeemer stands.

The images, where William quietly reflected, echo Princess Diana’s trip to Brazil in 1991, where she posed for very similar snaps.

The imposing art deco statue has become a symbol of hope and resilience and has said to protect the people of Rio.

Prince William looks at the view of Sugarloaf Mountain emerging on the far side of the bay, exactly the same place his Mother Princess Diana stood in April 1991 in Rio de Janeiro
Prince William was given some time for reflection (Credit: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock)

Princess Diana’s trip to Brazil

Princess Diana posed in the same spot in 1991, during her six-day tour of Brazil with the now King Charles III.

During William’s trip to Rio, dozens of people spoke to him about his late mother, who tragically died in August 1997.

Princess Diana in Rio de Janeiro in 1991, posing in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue
Princess Diana visited Brazil with then-Prince Charles (Credit: David Hartley/Shutterstock)

“The prince has loved meeting so many people from across Rio over the last few days,” said a spokesperson for the royal.

“He’s been incredibly struck by the number of people who fondly remember his mother’s visit to this beautiful city.”

Security has been very high during William’s trip. However, he was given a moment without cameras.

The prince took the opportunity to have some quiet time in the chapel at Christ the Redeemer.

Public access to the statue temporarily suspended to allow him to visit the site.

Princess Diana in Rio de Janeiro, looking up at the Christ the Redeemer statue in 1991
Princess Diana snapped in the same spot (Credit: David Hartley/Shutterstock)

The Earthshot Prize Awards

Whilst there, he met the 15 Earthshot Prize finalists ahead of the evening’s awards ceremony.

The prize annually awards a £1m grant in five different categories to projects that aim to repair the world’s climate.

The winners this year became, as per the Earthshot Prize website: re.green, The City of Bogotá, The High Seas Treaty, Lagos Fashion Week, and Friendship.

Prince William looking up at the Christ the Redeemer statue
Prince William visited Brazil this week for several days (Credit: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock)

William’s first day in Brazil included football at Maracana Stadium and barefoot beach volleyball on Copacabana.

On Tuesday, he put his focus on the environment.

Prince William and Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro travel on the escalator leading up to Christ The Redeemer, the same place Princess Diana visited in April 1991
Prince William met with Earthshot Prize finalists (Credit: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock)

Prince William’s itinerary

The prince also criticised criminals for their involvement in the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest during a speech at the United for Wildlife conference.

Prince William stood with the Earthshot Prize finalists in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue
The Earthshot Prize winners were revealed yesterday (Credit: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock)

During his trip to the island of Paquetá, he also learnt about mangrove conservation and planted tree saplings.

During Diana’s visit in the early nineties, she met children with AIDS, and toured cities including São Paulo, Brasília, and Rio de Janeiro.

Chris Jackson, a Getty photographer, who was amongst those who snapped the pictures of Prince William yesterday, took to X to point out the intentional callback to Diana’s photograph. He even posted a side by side to highlight the similarities.

These images really are stunning.

Read more: Prince William melts hearts as he cuddles baby during Brazil trip

 So, what do you think? Which photo is your favourite? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsider.