Royal Trip on Edge: Prince William to Land in Brazil Days After 'Massacre' Leaves 132 Dead in Rio's Favelas

Prince William will arrive in Rio de Janeiro next week for his Earthshot Prize ceremony amid turmoil following Brazil's deadliest police raid, which left at least 132 people dead in Rio's favelas.

The Prince of Wales, 43, is scheduled to attend his fifth annual Earthshot Prize ceremony on 5 November at Rio's Museum of Tomorrow, where he will award £1 million grants to five environmental innovators.

The visit, part of his global climate initiative, now coincides with a period of mourning, anger, and scrutiny over alleged extrajudicial killings in the city's poorest communities.

Brazil's Deadliest Police Operation Stuns the Nation

Officials confirmed that at least 132 people died after Rio's civil and military police raided the Alemão and Penha favela complexes on Tuesday.

The operation, aimed at dismantling the Comando Vermelho gang, quickly escalated into hours of heavy gunfire. Four police officers were also killed.

Residents gathered bodies through the night, placing them in trucks and laying them in Penha's main square.

Witnesses and activists described signs of execution-style killings — victims shot in the back or head, some with bound hands. Local groups labelled it a 'massacre,' while social media was filled with videos of grieving families demanding justice.

Global Condemnation and Political Fallout

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said it was 'horrified' and urged swift investigations. Brazil's Justice Minister acknowledged that 'innocent civilians' were among the dead.

Rights groups noted that such raids often precede major international events, raising questions about political motives ahead of the C40 Mayors Summit and the Earthshot Prize.

Governor Cláudio Castro defended the raid as an act against 'narco-terrorism,' citing footage of gang-operated drones firing projectiles at police.

Activist Raull Santiago countered, describing 'bodies executed in cold blood' and a community paralysed by fear.

'We saw executed people: shot in the back, shots to the head, stab wounds, people tied up. This level of brutality, the hatred spread — there's no other way to describe it except as a massacre'.

The timing of the police operation has sparked scrutiny. Rights groups have questioned the timing of such large-scale police operations in Brazil, which are not uncommon before major international events.

Rio is set to host the C40 World Mayors Summit on climate change alongside the Earthshot ceremony, both serving as precursors to the UN's COP30 climate summit beginning 10 November in Belém.

Earthshot Ceremony Faces Awkward Timing

Prince William, 43, will host the fifth Earthshot Prize ceremony on 5 November at Rio's Museum of Tomorrow, awarding £1 million each to five innovators tackling climate change. The event, featuring Kylie Minogue, Shawn Mendes, Anitta, and Gilberto Gil, now takes place against a backdrop of grief and unrest.

Organisers have not commented on whether the killings will affect the programme. Sources close to Kensington Palace said the trip will proceed as planned, focusing on 'solutions and hope.'

Princess Kate will remain in the UK with their three children during school holidays, continuing her recovery following cancer treatment. Sir Keir Starmer is also expected to attend the ceremony before heading to COP30 in Belém.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said it was 'horrified' and called for 'swift investigations', whilst Brazil's federal justice minister acknowledged that the dead included 'innocent civilians'.

In 2024, approximately 700 people died during police operations in Rio, a rate of almost two a day. Tuesday's death toll surpassed the previous record of 28 killed in the 2021 Jacarezinho raid by more than fourfold.

Rio state's Head of Security, Victor Santos, told reporters that the 'elevated lethality of the operation was expected but not desired', adding that the operation bore no connection to the upcoming international events.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has yet to issue a public statement on the raids, met with Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and cabinet members on Wednesday to discuss the matter.

Princess Kate will not accompany Prince William on the trip, remaining at home with the couple's three children during their half-term break from Lambrook School. The princess attended the first two Earthshot ceremonies in London and Boston but has missed recent iterations whilst prioritising her health following cancer treatment earlier this year.

Sir Keir Starmer is also expected to attend the Earthshot ceremony before proceeding to the COP30 summit to represent the United Kingdom.

A City on Edge Ahead of Global Spotlight

More than 2,500 officers participated in Tuesday's raid, which utilised armoured vehicles, helicopters, and drones. Schools closed, buses were set ablaze, and major roads were blocked. Rio's Head of Security, Victor Santos, admitted the 'elevated lethality was expected but not desired.'

In 2024, nearly 700 people died in police operations across Rio — almost two per day — but this week's toll eclipsed the 2021 Jacarezinho raid by over fourfold. President Lula da Silva has yet to issue a public statement, although he met with senior ministers on Wednesday to address the crisis.

As Prince William's plane touches down, Rio stands divided — one city preparing to celebrate environmental innovation, another still counting its dead.