Prince William (44) has made a rare appearance on a BBC chat show, telling viewers he once wanted to join the police or spin records as a DJ.

The heir to the British throne sat down with comedian Graham Norton to promote his Earthshot Prize, which supports environmental projects around the world. The episode will air on Friday evening.

Norton’s show is known for its A-list guests and light-hearted celebrity interviews. Images released ahead of the broadcast show William in a blue suit, laughing on the famous sofa alongside actresses Cate Blanchett and Hannah Waddingham, plus conservationist Robert Irwin. All three are involved in the environmental prize.

First working royal on British chat show

According to Hello! magazine, William is the first working royal to appear on a British talk show. Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of William’s uncle Andrew, appeared on Norton’s show when she still held a royal title.

The Graham Norton Show is now in its 33rd series and ranks as the BBC’s most watched chat show. Recent guests include Madonna.

The BBC reported the audience responded with “cheers and gasps” when William appeared as a surprise guest.

Childhood dreams and family TV habits

When Norton asked if he ever imagined doing another job instead of becoming king, William said: “I did want to be a policeman when I was younger. I thought I could make a good one.” He added that he also went through “a phase of wanting to be a DJ – I wasn’t very good.”

The prince spoke about his family’s love for “The Celebrity Traitors”, a reality show currently topping ratings in Britain. He also described himself as a “big fan” of director Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy about Batman, which he called “psychologically dark and deep”.

Earthshot Prize heads to Mumbai

William will present the Earthshot Prize in Mumbai on 17 November. The prize, launched in 2020, helps tackle environmental crises such as climate change.

This year’s winners will each receive one million pounds ($1.3 million) “to accelerate the impact of their innovative solutions”, organisers said.

The prince stayed silent about his brother Prince Harry’s recent comments. Harry told GQ magazine this week that he wanted things to “work out” with his father, King Charles III, and William.

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